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| China and South Korea Affirm Antinuclear Goals | China and South Korea Affirm Antinuclear Goals |
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| SEOUL, South Korea — The leaders of China and South Korea sent a strong message to North Korea on Thursday, saying they were united in their opposition to the development of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula, though they fell short on how they would pursue that goal. | |
| After a three-hour meeting, China’s president, Xi Jinping, and South Korea’s leader, Park Geun-hye, issued a joint statement that smoothed over the differences in approach that have stalled a more aggressive stance toward the unabated development of nuclear weapons by North Korea, and its leader, Kim Jong-un, China’s ally. | After a three-hour meeting, China’s president, Xi Jinping, and South Korea’s leader, Park Geun-hye, issued a joint statement that smoothed over the differences in approach that have stalled a more aggressive stance toward the unabated development of nuclear weapons by North Korea, and its leader, Kim Jong-un, China’s ally. |
| Their joint communiqué said that the “two countries reaffirm their firm opposition to the development of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula,” phraseology that the Chinese have always preferred because it does not specifically cite North Korea. | Their joint communiqué said that the “two countries reaffirm their firm opposition to the development of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula,” phraseology that the Chinese have always preferred because it does not specifically cite North Korea. |
| With Mr. Xi standing beside her, Ms. Park read a statement that said the two leaders had agreed that the “denuclearization of North Korea must be achieved at all costs,” with the emphasis on the nation of North Korea rather than the Korean Peninsula. | With Mr. Xi standing beside her, Ms. Park read a statement that said the two leaders had agreed that the “denuclearization of North Korea must be achieved at all costs,” with the emphasis on the nation of North Korea rather than the Korean Peninsula. |
| The variance in terminology showed the continued reluctance of China to single out the North Koreans and force them to give up their weapons for fear of creating instability that could spill over their borders, Chinese and South Korean analysts said. | The variance in terminology showed the continued reluctance of China to single out the North Koreans and force them to give up their weapons for fear of creating instability that could spill over their borders, Chinese and South Korean analysts said. |
| Still, on the eve of Mr. Xi’s arrival in Seoul, the South Korean foreign minister, Yun Byung-se, said the Chinese position could be interpreted as meaning the denuclearization of North Korea. “China will never make that concession” and drop the reference to the peninsula, said Moon Chung-in, professor of political science at Yonsei University in Seoul. | Still, on the eve of Mr. Xi’s arrival in Seoul, the South Korean foreign minister, Yun Byung-se, said the Chinese position could be interpreted as meaning the denuclearization of North Korea. “China will never make that concession” and drop the reference to the peninsula, said Moon Chung-in, professor of political science at Yonsei University in Seoul. |
| Just as Mr. Xi’s plane was about to land in Seoul, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, concerned about a warmer relationship between China and South Korea, announced that he would lift some sanctions imposed against North Korea. He was doing so, he said, in return for Pyongyang’s pledge to investigate the abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s. | Just as Mr. Xi’s plane was about to land in Seoul, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, concerned about a warmer relationship between China and South Korea, announced that he would lift some sanctions imposed against North Korea. He was doing so, he said, in return for Pyongyang’s pledge to investigate the abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s. |
| The timing of the statement by Mr. Abe was interpreted in Seoul as an attempt to distract from the united front presented by China and South Korea on the behavior of Japan’s military during World War II. | The timing of the statement by Mr. Abe was interpreted in Seoul as an attempt to distract from the united front presented by China and South Korea on the behavior of Japan’s military during World War II. |
| “Abe is afraid of South Korean and Chinese cooperation on Japan’s past,” said Han Suk-hee, professor of international relations at Yonsei University. | “Abe is afraid of South Korean and Chinese cooperation on Japan’s past,” said Han Suk-hee, professor of international relations at Yonsei University. |
| It was possible, Mr. Han added, that Mr. Abe would seek to meet with Mr. Kim in the coming months as a way of upstaging Mr. Xi, who has ignored Mr. Kim and declined to invite him to Beijing. | It was possible, Mr. Han added, that Mr. Abe would seek to meet with Mr. Kim in the coming months as a way of upstaging Mr. Xi, who has ignored Mr. Kim and declined to invite him to Beijing. |
| Good personal chemistry between Mr. Xi and Ms. Park was on display Thursday on the first day of Mr. Xi’s visit to Seoul. It was the fifth time they had met since Mr. Xi became president of China early last year. | Good personal chemistry between Mr. Xi and Ms. Park was on display Thursday on the first day of Mr. Xi’s visit to Seoul. It was the fifth time they had met since Mr. Xi became president of China early last year. |
| Yet beneath the personal warmth lay disagreements on important matters, like the North Korean nuclear weapons program, and for Ms. Park, how to deal with Mr. Xi’s new concept of a security architecture in Asia that would be led by China and would sideline the United States. | Yet beneath the personal warmth lay disagreements on important matters, like the North Korean nuclear weapons program, and for Ms. Park, how to deal with Mr. Xi’s new concept of a security architecture in Asia that would be led by China and would sideline the United States. |
| “When you get into the sensitive political matters — the denuclearization of North Korea and Xi Jinping’s ideas for Asia — it gets more difficult,” Mr. Moon said. As expected, Mr. Xi called for the resumption of six-party talks that began in 2003 with the aim of ending the North Korean nuclear program but stopped in 2007 after little progress was made. | “When you get into the sensitive political matters — the denuclearization of North Korea and Xi Jinping’s ideas for Asia — it gets more difficult,” Mr. Moon said. As expected, Mr. Xi called for the resumption of six-party talks that began in 2003 with the aim of ending the North Korean nuclear program but stopped in 2007 after little progress was made. |
| In their joint statement, the two countries pledged to complete a free-trade agreement that would bolster their already booming economic ties. Mr. Xi said that they hoped the accord would be completed within the year, and that annual two-way trade would increase to $300 billion by the end of this year. | In their joint statement, the two countries pledged to complete a free-trade agreement that would bolster their already booming economic ties. Mr. Xi said that they hoped the accord would be completed within the year, and that annual two-way trade would increase to $300 billion by the end of this year. |
| In something of a surprise, Mr. Xi said South Korea had agreed to consider joining the Chinese initiative for an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank that Beijing is organizing as a mechanism for a Chinese-led effort to bankroll more infrastructure projects in underdeveloped Asian nations. | In something of a surprise, Mr. Xi said South Korea had agreed to consider joining the Chinese initiative for an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank that Beijing is organizing as a mechanism for a Chinese-led effort to bankroll more infrastructure projects in underdeveloped Asian nations. |
| The bank, still in the planning stage, is widely seen as an effort by China to create a financing structure to compete with the Asian Development Bank, which is dominated by Japan and the United States. | The bank, still in the planning stage, is widely seen as an effort by China to create a financing structure to compete with the Asian Development Bank, which is dominated by Japan and the United States. |
| Ms. Park has insisted that Japan should offer compensation to the victims of its military’s use of Korean and other women as sex slaves during World War II. Similarly, China has a long list of grievances about Japanese atrocities before and during the war, including the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians in Nanjing in 1937. | Ms. Park has insisted that Japan should offer compensation to the victims of its military’s use of Korean and other women as sex slaves during World War II. Similarly, China has a long list of grievances about Japanese atrocities before and during the war, including the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians in Nanjing in 1937. |
| “South Korea and China have been bonding on the history issues for a while,” said John Delury, professor of East Asian studies at Yonsei University. | “South Korea and China have been bonding on the history issues for a while,” said John Delury, professor of East Asian studies at Yonsei University. |
| Indeed, on the eve of Mr. Xi’s arrival in Seoul, Ms. Park told Chinese state television that a 1993 apology by Japan for using Korean and other women as sex slaves was insufficient, and that a recent review of that apology by Japan had only served to make the situation worse. Ms. Park’s government is seeking compensation for 54 Korean women who say they were sex slaves. | Indeed, on the eve of Mr. Xi’s arrival in Seoul, Ms. Park told Chinese state television that a 1993 apology by Japan for using Korean and other women as sex slaves was insufficient, and that a recent review of that apology by Japan had only served to make the situation worse. Ms. Park’s government is seeking compensation for 54 Korean women who say they were sex slaves. |
| “South Korea feels there is a clear hierarchy of alliances and the U.S. is focused on giving Abe what he wants, and that makes the South Koreans feel on their own,” Mr. Delury said. Hence, he said, it was easy for South Korea to turn to China and unite on what are known as the “history issues.” | “South Korea feels there is a clear hierarchy of alliances and the U.S. is focused on giving Abe what he wants, and that makes the South Koreans feel on their own,” Mr. Delury said. Hence, he said, it was easy for South Korea to turn to China and unite on what are known as the “history issues.” |
| In China, Mr. Xi’s South Korean trip was given enthusiastic and plentiful news coverage on Thursday that failed to mention differences over North Korea. | In China, Mr. Xi’s South Korean trip was given enthusiastic and plentiful news coverage on Thursday that failed to mention differences over North Korea. |
| But the state-run news agency, Xinhua, blasted the United States for its policies toward North Korea, an echo of the unhappiness within the Chinese government at the Obama administration’s refusal to be more flexible toward the North Korean government. “Washington’s counterproductive obsession with sanctions and intimidation and Pyongyang’s understandable sense of insecurity and unhelpful violations of United Nations resolutions have only exacerbated the feud,” the agency said. | But the state-run news agency, Xinhua, blasted the United States for its policies toward North Korea, an echo of the unhappiness within the Chinese government at the Obama administration’s refusal to be more flexible toward the North Korean government. “Washington’s counterproductive obsession with sanctions and intimidation and Pyongyang’s understandable sense of insecurity and unhelpful violations of United Nations resolutions have only exacerbated the feud,” the agency said. |