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For Leaders of China and South Korea, a Meeting of ‘Old Friends’ China to Welcome South Korean Leader, ‘an Old Friend’
(about 7 hours later)
BEIJING — President Park Geun-hye of South Korea will begin a state visit here Thursday with an elaborate banquet and a highly anticipated meeting with China’s leader, President Xi Jinping, who has called her “an old friend.” BEIJING — China, which has long been North Korea’s benefactor, will signal its displeasure with Pyongyang again on Thursday when it welcomes President Park Geun-hye of South Korea for an elaborate banquet and a highly anticipated meeting with China’s leader, President Xi Jinping, who has called her “an old friend.”
That Ms. Park speaks Chinese and has shown an admiration for Chinese culture helps. Ms. Park’s visit will contrast with the furtive, hastily arranged appearances in Beijing recently of two North Korean officials, a senior military officer and a diplomat, who were scolded by their Chinese hosts for North Korea’s growing arsenal of nuclear weapons.
The contrast with the furtive, hastily arranged appearances in Beijing recently of two North Korean officials, a senior military officer and a diplomat, who were scolded by their Chinese hosts for North Korea’s growing arsenal of nuclear weapons, could not be more stark.
And Ms. Park, 61, the daughter of an anti-Communist dictator, is coming to China before the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, who is supposed to be China’s ally.And Ms. Park, 61, the daughter of an anti-Communist dictator, is coming to China before the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, who is supposed to be China’s ally.
At the top of the agenda for her visit, according to both sides, will be North Korea and, specifically, how South Korea and China can together push Mr. Kim toward giving up his nuclear weapons.At the top of the agenda for her visit, according to both sides, will be North Korea and, specifically, how South Korea and China can together push Mr. Kim toward giving up his nuclear weapons.
Few people expect concrete steps in that direction. But the symbolism of a frustrated China, which is North Korea’s benefactor, joining hands with South Korea, an allay of the United States, in calling for a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons will send a clear and unpleasant message to the North, analysts say. The symbolism of a frustrated China, which is North Korea’s benefactor, joining hands with South Korea, an ally of the United States, in calling for a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons will send a clear and unpleasant message to the North, analysts say.
“When the leaders of the two countries meet reporters, they will say they have reached some consensus on denuclearization of the peninsula,” predicted Wang Junsheng, professor of Asian affairs at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.“When the leaders of the two countries meet reporters, they will say they have reached some consensus on denuclearization of the peninsula,” predicted Wang Junsheng, professor of Asian affairs at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
That would be a demonstration of a new solidarity in the relationship between China and South Korea. The previous president of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, did not have China’s support, Mr. Wang said.That would be a demonstration of a new solidarity in the relationship between China and South Korea. The previous president of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, did not have China’s support, Mr. Wang said.
Ms. Park will be arriving at a time of turmoil among China’s foreign policy specialists, who are debating whether North Korea should be considered an ally or a liability. Ms. Park, who speaks Chinese and has shown an admiration for Chinese culture, will be arriving at a time of turmoil among China’s foreign policy specialists, who are debating whether North Korea should be considered an ally or a liability.
The constituencies in China’s hierarchy who stand by North Korea appear to be dwindling, but the People’s Liberation Army and segments of the Communist Party remain in favor of keeping North Korea on Beijing’s side, Chinese experts say.The constituencies in China’s hierarchy who stand by North Korea appear to be dwindling, but the People’s Liberation Army and segments of the Communist Party remain in favor of keeping North Korea on Beijing’s side, Chinese experts say.
After North Korea conducted a third nuclear test this year, China voted in favor of economic sanctions against North Korea at the United Nations. Since then, Beijing has called for the resumption of the six-party talks — involving China, Japan, Russia, the United States, South Korea and North Korea — that are aimed at ridding North Korea of its nuclear weapons.After North Korea conducted a third nuclear test this year, China voted in favor of economic sanctions against North Korea at the United Nations. Since then, Beijing has called for the resumption of the six-party talks — involving China, Japan, Russia, the United States, South Korea and North Korea — that are aimed at ridding North Korea of its nuclear weapons.
Those talks collapsed in 2008 when North Korea walked out, and though Ms. Park has shown more warmth to China on North Korea than her predecessor, she has said she is not in favor of “talks for talks’ sake,” a position that coincides with the view in Washington.Those talks collapsed in 2008 when North Korea walked out, and though Ms. Park has shown more warmth to China on North Korea than her predecessor, she has said she is not in favor of “talks for talks’ sake,” a position that coincides with the view in Washington.
Indeed, as a leader well regarded by President Obama — Ms. Park made her first overseas visit to Washington after assuming the presidency this year — she could well become a channel between the United States and China on North Korea, Washington experts say. Indeed, as a leader well regarded by President Obama — Ms. Park made her first overseas visit to Washington after assuming the presidency this year — she could well become a channel between the United States and China on North Korea, experts say.
How Mr. Xi and Ms. Park could bridge the gap over possible talks with the North will probably be at the center of their discussions, said Sun Zhe, director of the Center for U.S.-China Relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing. “The Chinese leaders will try to tell her that China is firm on denuclearization and will encourage a return to six-party talks,” said Sun Zhe, director of the Center for U.S.-China Relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing. “We need to have some more joint South Korea and China efforts. Strengthening the South Korean-China relationship will send a clear message to North Korea.”
“The Chinese leaders will try to tell her that China is firm on denuclearization and will encourage a return to six-party talks,” Mr. Sun said. “We need to have some more joint South Korea and China efforts. Strengthening the South Korean-China relationship will send a clear message to North Korea.” On the eve of Mrs. Park’s arrival, The Beijing Morning Post flattered her with a profile headlined “China Hand.” It told how Zhao Yun, a Chinese military general of the early third century, is one of her favorite characters. She can sing Chinese songs and likes Sichuan cuisine, the profile said. Her autobiography, “Steeled by Despair, Motivated by Hope,” leads the Chinese Amazon list of biographies of political figures.
The visit will not only be about how to tame North Korea.
Ms. Park will be accompanied by scores of South Korean businesspeople, among them the titans of the companies that sell popular South Korean brands of smartphones, cars and flat-screen televisions in huge quantities to China. China is South Korea’s leading trading partner, and South Korean imports to China overtook Japan’s last September, according to the Singaporean DBS Bank.
On the eve of Mrs. Park’s arrival, The Beijing Morning Post flattered Ms. Park with a profile headlined “China Hand.” The article described how Zhao Yun, a Chinese military general of the early third century, is one of her favorite characters. She can sing Chinese songs and likes Sichuan cuisine, the profile said. Her autobiography, “Steeled by Despair, Motivated by Hope” — the first phrase is a reference to the assassination of both of her parents — sits atop the Chinese Amazon list of biographies of political figures.
Ms. Park’s personal interest in China is a reflection of the fascination with China among many South Koreans, who are visiting the country as tourists in greater numbers than the Japanese, even though Japan has had diplomatic relations with China for far longer.
More than 60,000 South Korean students studied in China last year, the largest group of foreign students, according to the Chinese Ministry of Education. There were 24,583 American students, the second-biggest group, the ministry said.
If there was some question about the personal chemistry between Mr. Xi and Mr. Obama at their summit meeting in California this month, there seems little doubt of the connection between Mr. Xi and Ms. Park.
They first met in 2005, when Mr. Xi was the Communist Party leader of Zhejiang Province on China’s coast, where South Korean companies have invested heavily. They chatted about the rural development projects started by her father, Park Chung-hee, in the 1970s, according to accounts in the South Korean news media.
So when they talked after they both assumed office in March, Mr. Xi referred to Ms. Park as “an old friend of the Chinese people and of myself,” South Korean officials said.

Bree Feng contributed research.

Bree Feng contributed research.