INTERNATIONAL

Xi visit tests South Korea balancing act

On a rare visit to South Korea, Xi Jinping urged deeper cooperation and resistance to American-led trade curbs as he met President Lee Jae Myung at the APEC summit in Gyeongju. The week laid bare Seoul’s uneasy straddle between its top trading partner and security ally: President Trump surprised officials by allowing South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines, paired with a trade deal and a $350 billion investment pledge that secured lower U.S. tariffs. Experts said the old equilibrium is over. Seoul still courts Beijing’s help on North Korea, even as China warned against moves unsettling regional stability.

Reviewed by JQJO team

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