During his state visit to Seoul, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “mutual respect” and “friendly consultation,” but his message was met with defiance from nearly all sides. South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung found himself caught in a vortex of public protests, a hostile North Korea, and the competing demands of China and the U.S.
The call for “respect” from Xi was a clear diplomatic signal, particularly as it followed a recent visit by U.S. President Trump. It was a prompt for Seoul to carefully manage its alliance with Washington, which is the source of major Sino-Korean friction points like the 2017 THAAD missile system. President Lee acknowledged this by raising the THAAD issue, as well as Chinese sanctions on a U.S-linked firm, during his talks.
However, Lee’s precarious balancing act was visible to all. On the streets of Seoul, hundreds of protesters rallied against Xi’s visit, demonstrating public anger over China’s growing influence. This domestic dissent is a significant challenge for President Lee, who has been criticized for attempting to stifle such anti-Chinese sentiment.
The most stinging rejection came from North Korea. As part of his diplomatic agenda, Lee urged President Xi to help bring Pyongyang back to the negotiating table. The response from North Korea was swift and brutal: it publicly rejected the overture as a “pipe dream,” effectively ending Lee’s diplomatic push before it could start.
While Lee contended with these political fires, Chinese state media presented a far simpler narrative. It ignored the protests and the North Korean rejection, focusing instead on seven new economic agreements, including a currency swap. This split highlighted Seoul’s challenge: securing economic benefits from China while being undermined politically and diplomatically.