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Moon Jae-in
OpinionComment

How Trump’s America helped China and South Korea become friends again

Zhang Baohui says the rapprochement between Beijing and Seoul, after relations were damaged over THAAD, has much to do with a more moderate Chinese foreign policy, inspired in no small part by the erosion of American soft power under an isolationist Donald Trump

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Zhang Baohui says the rapprochement between Beijing and Seoul, after relations were damaged over THAAD, has much to do with a more moderate Chinese foreign policy, inspired in no small part by the erosion of American soft power under an isolationist Donald Trump
Zhang Baohui
Multiple factors have contributed to the China-South Korea rapprochement. The most important concerns Beijing’s shift towards a softer foreign policy. Illustration: Craig Stephens
Multiple factors have contributed to the China-South Korea rapprochement. The most important concerns Beijing’s shift towards a softer foreign policy. Illustration: Craig Stephens
President Moon Jae-in’s visit to China will officially end the enmity triggered by South Korea’s deployment of THAAD, the US-built missile ­defence system. That saw China take a number of hidden and open economic measures to retaliate against the infringement of its “core security interests”, reported to have caused substantial hardships to the South Korean economy. Moreover, the measures stirred up nationalism in both countries.
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However, the Moon administration has restored the bilateral relationship. It is reported that South Korea made a “Three No’s” promise to Beijing to improve the relationship. Seoul promised it would not seek further expansion of THAAD, would not be integrated into US-led missile defence systems, and would never participate in a trilateral military alliance with the US and Japan.

In return, Beijing agreed to fully restore bilateral ties by ending hidden sanctions and by inviting Moon to visit China this week.

Multiple factors have contributed to the rapprochement. The most important one concerns China’s shift towards a softer foreign policy.

Moon Jae-in hopes to rebuild trust during visit to China

Why South Korea’s promises on THAAD and a US-Japan alliance are so important to China

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