Lee Urges Public Goodwill and Economic Ties During Shanghai Visit
Updated (2 articles)
Lee stresses easing public hostility to unlock cooperation At a welcome dinner in Shanghai, President Lee Jae Myung told officials that South Korea and China must reduce “unfounded and unnecessary misunderstandings” and cultivate “good neighborly, friendly” sentiment to remove barriers to bilateral progress[1][2]. He argued that negative public attitudes have long hampered economic problem‑solving and that improving goodwill is a prerequisite for any substantive partnership. Lee framed the appeal as a core element of his state‑visit agenda, linking public perception directly to policy outcomes.
Economic collaboration named top priority for the visit Lee announced that deepening economic cooperation will lead the agenda, covering sectors such as culture, foreign affairs, military and people‑to‑people exchanges[1][2]. He expressed intent to align South Korean interests with China’s 2026‑30 development plan, seeking joint projects that generate new growth drivers. The president emphasized that practical trade and investment initiatives must accompany diplomatic overtures to achieve tangible benefits.
Shanghai officials pledge support for Korean businesses Party Secretary Chen Jining used the dinner platform to promise new business opportunities for Korean firms and other foreign enterprises in Shanghai[1]. The pledge included facilitating people‑to‑people exchanges and leveraging the city’s economic policies to attract Korean investment. Lee’s call for reduced conflict and expanded cooperation dovetailed with Chen’s commitment to translate diplomatic goodwill into concrete commercial outcomes.
Lee plans visits to historic Korean independence sites The president announced plans to tour Shanghai’s former provisional government headquarters, marking its centennial, and to commemorate the 150th birthday of independence leader Kim Koo[1][2]. He thanked local authorities for preserving these landmarks, describing them as lessons for future generations and as a bridge for deeper cultural ties. The historical itinerary underscores the dual focus on memory and future economic partnership during the final leg of his China trip.
Sources (2 articles)
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[1]
Yonhap: Lee urges easing South Korea‑China public tensions to deepen economic ties during Shanghai visit – Highlights Lee’s call to reduce public hostility, his economic cooperation agenda, and his upcoming visits to Korean independence sites, emphasizing diplomatic and commercial objectives.
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[2]
Yonhap: Lee urges easing South Korea–China public tensions to boost economic cooperation during Shanghai visit – Mirrors the same core messages, stressing the link between public sentiment and economic issues, the priority on cooperation, and the historical commemorations, with a focus on the dinner’s municipal significance.
Timeline
1876 – Independence leader Kim Koo is born, a figure whose legacy South Korea will commemorate with a 150th‑birthday ceremony during President Lee’s Shanghai visit, underscoring the historical depth of Korea‑China ties. [1][2]
1910‑1945 – Japan’s colonial rule over Korea fuels a Korean independence movement that finds a hub in Shanghai, creating a shared historical memory that both governments invoke to strengthen people‑to‑people goodwill. [1][2]
1919 – The Korean provisional government establishes its headquarters in Shanghai; the centennial of this site will be marked by Lee in 2026, linking contemporary diplomacy to a century‑old symbol of Korean sovereignty. [1][2]
Jan 6, 2026 – President Lee Jae Myung attends a welcome dinner hosted by Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining, the second and final stop of his state visit to China, and frames the event as a platform to “ease negative public sentiment” and build “good neighborly, friendly” relations. [1][2]
Jan 6, 2026 – Lee warns that “unfounded and unnecessary misunderstandings” have long soured public sentiment in both countries, urging both sides to minimize conflict and maximize mutual benefit to clear a barrier to deeper cooperation. [1][2]
Jan 6, 2026 – He stresses that building friendly neighborly ties is “essential when it comes to resolving economic issues,” directly linking public goodwill to the ability to unlock new economic collaboration. [1][2]
Jan 6, 2026 – Lee declares economic cooperation the top priority across culture, foreign affairs, military and people‑to‑people exchanges, and expresses a desire to align South Korea with China’s 2026‑30 economic development plan to foster new growth drivers. [1][2]
Jan 6, 2026 – Chen Jining pledges to create fresh business opportunities for Korean firms and to boost people‑to‑people exchanges, translating Lee’s diplomatic appeal into concrete economic incentives in Shanghai. [1]
Jan 6, 2026 – Lee announces his upcoming visits to the provisional‑government headquarters and the commemorative ceremony for Kim Koo’s 150th birthday, using shared historical sites to reinforce “good neighborly” ties and set a cultural foundation for future economic partnership. [1][2]