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South Korea’s Lee offers mediation to ease China–Japan tensions
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has signaled his willingness to act as a mediator in the growing dispute between China and Japan, cautioning that taking sides would risk deepening regional tensions. His remarks were delivered during a press briefing in Seoul on Wednesday, where he emphasized the importance of balance and cooperation in regional diplomacy.
President Lee noted that Seoul is prepared to step in “where possible” to help reduce friction between its two neighbors. He argued that aligning with one side over another would likely escalate the situation. “Taking sides only intensifies conflict. This is true in personal relationships and in international affairs. Instead of choosing sides, we must look for ways to coexist,” he said.
The latest strain between China and Japan emerged last month after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute a “survival-threatening situation,” a scenario that could allow Japan to invoke its right to collective self-defense.
Beijing condemned the comments, advising Chinese citizens against traveling to Japan, halting seafood imports, and postponing a planned trilateral cultural ministers’ meeting involving China, Japan, and South Korea.
President Lee’s comments come as Seoul seeks to maintain a delicate diplomatic balance in a region where strategic rivalries continue to intensify.