South Korea’s Lee heads to Japan after China visit, seeking balanced diplomacy

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday, a week after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as Seoul seeks to balance ties with both neighbours.

The summit in Japan’s Nara City comes amid a growing diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Tokyo, and analysts expect Takaichi to highlight the stability of three-way ties between the United States, Japan and South Korea.

Lee is seeking to balance ties with China and Japan which could make it easier to reach pacts in business fields such as artificial intelligence (AI).

Lee said the conflict between China and Japan was not desirable for regional peace, but Seoul would not meddle in the ongoing row.

“It’s clear that Chinese President Xi Jinping has a very negative view of Japan’s position on the matter of Taiwan,” Lee said during an interview with Japanese broadcaster NHK. “I think it’s a matter between China and Japan, not something we should deeply involve ourselves in or interfere with.”