China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held talks with South Korea’s Trade, Industry, and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Saturday.
According to China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), both sides discussed ways to ensure stable industrial and supply chains to enhance regional and multilateral cooperation.

At the meeting, Wang emphasized that China and South Korea share a close partnership as important neighboring countries. He expressed China’s readiness to collaborate with South Korea in advancing the key agreements and fostering progress in bilateral economic and trade ties.

The Chinese commerce minister stated that both countries should enhance communication and coordination through channels like the China-South Korea supply chain cooperation hotline, export control talks, and trade remedy frameworks to maintain stable and efficient bilateral supply chains.

Wang affirmed the importance of strengthening collaboration within the frameworks of the WTO and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. He also called for the early restart of negotiations on the China-Japan-South Korea free trade agreement and urged joint efforts to uphold free trade and multilateralism.

Kim acknowledged China as a key economic and trade partner for South Korea and expressed South Korea’s willingness to work closely with China to advance the second phase of the bilateral free trade agreement. He also highlighted the intention to boost local-level economic ties and further deepen cooperation in trade, investment, and regional and multilateral initiatives.

Economic and trade ties remain a key pillar of stability in China-South Korea relations. In 2024, their bilateral trade totaled $328.08 billion, marking a 5.6% increase from the previous year. China has held the position of South Korea’s top trading partner for 21 straight years, while South Korea ranks as China’s second-largest trading partner.

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