China tells South Korea not to allow ‘third party’ interference

China has told South Korea to strengthen its “strategic autonomy” and exclude “third-party” interference.

In an 80-minute phone conversation, with his South Korean counterpart Park Jin, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing hoped Seoul would stand against supply chain decoupling and back efforts to resume three-way communications with Japan.

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Wang said that the two countries should guard against interference from external forces and refrain from ideological confrontations but continue to enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples and stick to friendly cooperation, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.

“The development of bilateral relations has an internal driving force and inevitable logic, and should not be influenced by a third party,” Wang said.

“It is hoped that South Korea will strengthen its strategic autonomy, reject various anti-globalisation manoeuvres and attempts to decouple or sever supply chains.”

South Korea and Japan have also joined the US and Taiwan in the Chip 4 alliance, a project to build a semiconductor supply network that is widely seen as an effort to counter Beijing.

Park urged China to help stabilise the supply chain between the two countries, including rare earths and raw materials, according to the South Korean foreign ministry.

He also asked Wang to maintain a stable and friendly investment environment for Korean companies in China and said that the Yoon administration remains committed to the relationship with Beijing.

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Park said Seoul has no intention of decoupling adding that “de-sinicisation” was neither possible nor desirable.

The two sides also agreed to promote high-level exchanges and communication at various levels and agreed to cooperate closely on the prompt resumption of the intergovernmental consultative body between Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo, according to the South Korean statement.

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The Chinese statement only said that Beijing supports Seoul in fostering trilateral ties as the chair of the China-Japan-South Korea cooperation mechanism.

Park also asked China to play “a constructive role” in helping North Korea return to the path of denuclearisation.