Words may sound bitter yet offer good advice

Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Xing Haiming met with the ROK's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung in Seoul on Thursday to exchange views on the development of Sino-ROK relations.

However, the ROK Foreign Ministry summoned Xing on Friday to protest the "senseless and provocative" comments he made in the meeting, accusing Xing of violating diplomatic protocols and interfering with the ROK's domestic politics, but without specifying the parts of Xing's comments it saw as inappropriate.

Interestingly, while the dialogue between Xing and Lee was widely reported in China, the ROK media outlets didn't cover it in detail, leaving the ROK people in the dark but also creating the space for Seoul to make the farce.

The only remark of Xing that the Yoon Suk-yeol government might construe as "provocative" was: It is hoped that the ROK side can get rid of the interference of external factors when dealing with its relations with China. The United States is trying to contain China, and some people bet on the US to win and China to lose. This is obviously a misjudgment and a failure to see clearly the historical trend.

No wonder the Yoon government's overreaction was promptly answered by the Chinese side. Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong met with the ROK Ambassador to China Chung Jae-ho on Sunday to lodge representations over Seoul's inappropriate response to the meeting of Xing and Lee.

Expressing grave concern and dissatisfaction, Nong elaborated on China's views on the current China-ROK relations, pointing out that it is Ambassador Xing's duty to have extensive contact and exchanges with people from all walks of life in the ROK to enhance understanding, promote cooperation and promote China-ROK relations.

However, the Yoon government has discarded the ROK's long-term strategic autonomy in handling relations with China, allowing the ROK's ties with its largest economic and trade partner to be hijacked by Washington's China-containment strategy.

Seoul's reckless concession to mend ties with Japan by brushing aside historical issues has turned the ROK from a respectable and responsible regional player into a lackey of the US.

The ROK's greatest concern is its northern neighbor. But this cannot be eased by blindly adhering to the US agenda. Washington has no sincerity in seeking a rapprochement with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as apprehensions about Pyongyang — cultivated by Washington — have driven the ROK and Japan closer to the US, and the large scale joint military drills give Washington an excuse for the US' oversized military presence in the region.

As Nong stressed, it is to be hoped that the Yoon government will reflect on the current problems in the ROK's relations with China and take them seriously, earnestly abide by the spirit of the joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the ROK, and work with Beijing to make positive efforts for the healthy and stable development of bilateral ties.