SEOUL — China is “actively considering” a summit between President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen this November, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said.
The possibility emerged during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Seoul, where he met South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun for talks on bilateral relations, economic cooperation and the increasingly sensitive security situation on the Korean Peninsula.
A Xi–Lee meeting would be closely watched because the two countries have been working to rebuild ties after years of friction over security, trade and regional geopolitical issues.
Why the November meeting matters
The proposed summit would take place against the backdrop of China’s hosting of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen.
China has placed the APEC gathering at the center of its effort to promote greater regional cooperation, with this year’s theme focused on openness, innovation and cooperation. The APEC leaders’ meeting is scheduled for November 18–19.
For Seoul and Beijing, the event could provide an opportunity to move beyond diplomatic symbolism and discuss practical areas where both sides have significant economic interests.
South Korea and China have agreed to pursue cooperation involving trade, investment, supply-chain stability and cultural exchanges, while negotiations connected to services and investment under their free-trade framework are also expected to remain on the agenda.
Seoul wants China’s help on North Korea
The Korean Peninsula could be one of the most politically sensitive issues surrounding any future Xi–Lee meeting.
During his discussions with Wang, Foreign Minister Cho urged Beijing to play a constructive role in encouraging North Korea to return to dialogue.
Wang reiterated China’s position favoring peaceful coexistence between the two Koreas and said Beijing would continue supporting efforts aimed at stability on the peninsula.
The timing is significant.
The United States and South Korea recently agreed to shorten and reduce the scope of their annual joint military exercises after President Donald Trump pushed for a major reduction in U.S. participation. North Korea has continued to criticize the drills, while Seoul has presented the changes as potentially helpful for lowering tensions.
That creates a complicated diplomatic environment in which Seoul is simultaneously managing its alliance with Washington, its relationship with Beijing and the security challenge posed by Pyongyang.
China–South Korea relations have already entered a new phase
The possible November summit would not come out of nowhere.
President Lee visited China in January 2026 for talks with Xi, with both governments describing the relationship as a strategic cooperative partnership and agreeing to strengthen cooperation and regular high-level communication. The two sides also signed 15 cooperation documents covering areas including science and technology, transportation, the environment, and economic and trade cooperation.
Lee’s government has described 2026 as an important year for restoring and expanding South Korea–China relations.
That momentum has also been visible in economic diplomacy. In June, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Chinese Premier Li Qiang agreed to use the November APEC gathering as an opportunity for additional high-level exchanges.
Wang’s latest visit to Seoul therefore appears to be part of a broader effort to keep that diplomatic momentum moving.
People-to-people ties are also back on the agenda
The two foreign ministers also discussed increasing exchanges between their populations.
According to Seoul, both sides expect combined travel between China and South Korea to exceed 10 million visits, reflecting the scale of their tourism, business and cultural connections. They also discussed cultural cooperation and the adoption of Chinese pandas.
These seemingly softer issues could nevertheless play an important role in stabilizing relations after years of political and economic tension.
But a summit is not yet confirmed
The key point is that Xi and Lee have not been confirmed to meet in November.
China is currently described as “actively considering” the summit, meaning preparations and diplomatic discussions are underway but a final leaders’ meeting has not been formally announced.
That distinction matters. A summit at APEC would be politically significant, but its eventual agenda could depend heavily on developments involving North Korea, the United States, China–U.S. relations and Seoul’s broader foreign-policy balancing.
For now, however, the signal from Beijing is clear: China is keeping the door open to another Xi–Lee meeting — and the November APEC summit could become the stage for it.
If the meeting goes ahead, the biggest question may not simply be whether Xi and Lee sit down together.
It will be what they are prepared to agree on when the region is already facing pressure from Washington, Beijing and Pyongyang.
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