SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's Foreign Ministry summoned China's ambassador on Friday to protest comments he made accusing Seoul of tilting toward the United States and away from China, as competition between Washington and Beijing for global influence intensifies.
South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin warned Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming over his “senseless and provocative” remarks made during a meeting with a South Korean opposition leader.
The ministry accused Xing of violating diplomatic protocols and interfering with South Korean domestic politics but didn't specify the parts of Xing's comments it saw as inappropriate. The ministry also didn't share what Xing said in reply to Chang.
In a meeting Thursday with South Korean Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, a key rival of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, Xing accused Yoon's government of leaning excessively toward Seoul's treaty ally, the United States, and damaging its relations with China, its biggest trading partner.
Xing said South Korea was entirely to blame for the “many difficulties” in bilateral relations, citing its growing trade deficit with China which he attributed to “de-Chinaization” efforts, apparently referring to actions by South Korean companies to shift their supply chains away from China. He demanded that Seoul respect Beijing's core interests including Taiwan and other major regional…
