Chinese envoy summoned over ‘wrong bets’ remark on South Korea-US ties

Seoul, June 9 (EFE).- South Korea summoned China’s ambassador on Friday to protest his remarks that Seoul was making “wrong bets” in the China-United States rivalry.

The South Korean foreign ministry said it filed a complaint about the comments by Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming.

First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Chang Ho-jin warned Xing about his “unreasonable and provocative” comments.

Xing made the remarks during a meeting on Thursday with Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate for the main opposition Democratic Party.

The envoy urged Seoul to respect China’s core concerns and back the so-called “One China” principle to support its Taiwan reunification plan.

“China-South Korea relations face many difficulties. Frankly, the blame does not lie with China,” he said.

“With the United States pressuring China with all its might, some are betting that the US will win and China will lose. But this is clearly the wrong judgment since they do not know the course of history.”

He said what could be said with certainty “is that those who bet on China’s defeat will surely regret it later.”

Chang warned Xing that his comments could potentially violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits diplomats from interfering in the internal affairs of their host countries.

Foreign Minister Park Jin also said Xing had “gone too far” with his comments and stressed that the role of an ambassador is “to promote friendship, not misunderstandings.” EFE

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