President Lee Jae Myung’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping was a summit under siege. Lee was besieged by protesters on the streets of his own capital, and his key diplomatic initiative was besieged by a hostile North Korea, leaving his government in a deeply precarious position.
The siege from within was impossible to ignore. Hundreds of demonstrators rallied in Seoul, their voices rising in opposition to Chinese influence. This public dissent created a tense and embarrassing backdrop for the state visit, undermining Lee’s efforts to project an image of stable, friendly relations with Beijing.
The siege from the North was just as damaging. Lee’s primary goal for the summit was to secure Xi’s help in re-engaging Pyongyang. This plan was immediately and publicly destroyed by North Korea itself, which issued a statement mocking the effort as a “pipe dream.” The rejection made Lee’s diplomatic efforts appear naive and ineffectual.
Amidst this, Lee was also forced to manage the U.S.-China rivalry. Having just hosted U.S. President Trump, Lee had to raise sensitive U.S.-linked issues with Xi, including the 2017 THAAD missile system dispute and Chinese sanctions on a U.S.-linked firm. This placed him in the uncomfortable role of mediating between his two most powerful partners.
The only party to emerge with a clear, simple victory was China. Its state media ignored the political chaos and focused on the seven new economic agreements signed, including a currency swap. Xi’s call for “mutual respect” was a calm statement that belied the turbulent reality his host was facing.