South Korea’s Lee asks China President Xi to play mediator to engage North Korea

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said on Wednesday that he has requested Chinese President Xi Jinping to play the role of a mediator with North Korea for bilateral engagements with his country.

According to reports, Lee noted that restoration of trust between his country and China has made progress.

Lee is supposed to have been told by Xi that North Korea being a nuclear-armed nation, patience is needed when bilateral engagement is discussed.

Lee has been on a state visit to China and met with Xi on Monday. Lee had called the visit as a ‘new phase’ in South Korea’s ties with Beijing.

Relations between South Korea and China had soared after a U.S. missile defence system deployment in South Korea in 2017.

Given the shift in the trade and foreign policy of the U.S. under President Donald Trump, regional powers in Asia are realigning themselves to explore new trade and diplomatic cooperations.

While China has been undergoing high U.S. tariff, South Korea too has come under U.S. tariff. North Korea on the other hand, is known for its stand vis-à-vis the United States.