China's Xi likely to visit South Korea next month: Top diplomat

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, a top diplomat said Wednesday.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, speaking ahead of his departure for Beijing, said he plans to discuss Xi's visit with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi later in the day, Yonhap News Agency reported.

"From what I understand, President Xi will visit South Korea for the APEC summit," he said. "We will have detailed discussions in relation to the matter."

Last month, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung sent a personal letter to Xi conveyed by a special envoy which extended an invitation for the Chinese leader to visit South Korea during the summit.

Cho's trip to Beijing marks the first such high-level diplomatic visit since the launch of Lee's administration in early June.

During the two-day visit, Cho is expected to discuss trade relations and regional cooperation with Chinese leaders.

"We will discuss ways to further deepen our cooperation and reduce tensions in Northeast Asia," he said.

China and South Korea formally established diplomatic relations in August 1992. The trade volume between the two countries reached $267.6 billion in 2024.