South Korean President Lee Jae-myung lands in Beijing with 200-strong delegation

President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea, a key US ally in East Asia, arrived in Beijing at noon on Sunday for his first China trip since taking office.

The four-day state visit comes at a moment when the global order is teetering, with old structures crumbling and a new world yet to emerge.

Over 200 South Korean entrepreneurs, including the chairmen of Samsung and SK Group, are accompanying Lee on his trip, which includes two days each in Beijing and Shanghai.

Lee will attend a Korea-China business forum on Monday morning, followed by a summit meeting with President Xi Jinping. The two leaders are also expected to hold a memorandum signing ceremony, and Xi will later host a state banquet in Lee’s honour, according to South Korean media.

Lee’s state visit unfolds amid a turbulent global landscape, where Seoul must delicately navigate US-China rivalry and China-Japan tensions while pursuing mutually beneficial opportunities with Beijing.

He is expected to strike a balance between regional issues – including North Korea’s nuclear threats and stability in the Korean peninsula – and forging stronger ties with Beijing.

South China Morning Post