South Korean President Lee Jae-myung began a four-day state visit to China on January 4, 2026, marking his first trip to the country since taking office in June 2025 and the first by a South Korean president since 2019. Invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Lee was accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea-kyung and a delegation of over 200 business leaders. The visit focuses on economic cooperation, bilateral relations, and regional stability, occurring shortly after North Korea conducted ballistic missile launches.
Visit Overview and Pre-Departure Engagements
President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea commenced a four-day state visit to China on January 4, 2026, accepting an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping. This visit marks President Lee's inaugural trip to China since assuming office in June 2025 and is the first by a South Korean president since 2019. He was accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea-kyung and a significant economic delegation.
Prior to his departure from Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, President Lee participated in a "Leaders Talk" interview broadcast on January 2, 2026. During this interview, he addressed his expectations for the trip, perspectives on trade development, bilateral relations, South Korea's stance on the Taiwan question, and its pragmatic diplomatic approach. Officials present at his departure included Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea; Yun Ho-jung, Minister of the Interior and Safety; Kang Hoon-sik, Chief of Staff; Woo Sang-ho, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs; Pang Kun, acting Chinese Ambassador to South Korea; and Kim Jin-a, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Key Engagements and Economic Focus
During the visit, President Lee is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking their second encounter within two months. The agenda for the visit is comprehensive, encompassing economic and diplomatic discussions:
- Economic Forum: A Korea-China Economic Forum is scheduled for Monday in Beijing. Discussions are expected to focus on expanding cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, supply chains, and tourism.
- Agreements: More than 10 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) are anticipated to be signed across various cooperation areas.
- Bilateral Discussions: Expected topics for bilateral discussions include supply-chain investments, the digital economy, environment and climate change, people-to-people exchanges, tourism, and responses to transnational crimes and cultural exchanges.
A delegation of over 200 South Korean business leaders accompanied President Lee, highlighting the economic focus of the visit. Notable members included:
- Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee
- SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won
- Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung
Shanghai Leg
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac confirmed that President Lee's itinerary includes a two-day stay in Shanghai, commencing on Tuesday. This portion of the visit involves:
- A visit to the historic site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Kim Koo's birth and the 100th anniversary of the site in 2026.
- Schedules designed to foster partnerships between South Korean and Chinese companies in the venture startup sector.
Regional Developments and Official Statements
The visit commenced hours after North Korea conducted ballistic missile launches. Regarding these launches, Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, suggested they could be interpreted as "a message to China to deter closer ties with South Korea and to counter China's stance on denuclearisation."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on December 30, 2025, that China anticipates the visit will positively contribute to advancing the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership, emphasizing the importance of strategic guidance from both heads of state.