South Korea's current economic situation is not optimistic. According to a report by Yonhap News Agency on the 28th, due to the impact of unfavorable factors such as the downturn in the international IT market, the proportion of China's imports to South Korea last year has dropped to less than 7%. South Korea has been China's largest importer of goods for the past seven years, but that has changed significantly. This is mainly due to the continuous improvement of the competitiveness of China's local products, which has gradually eliminated South Korea's advantages in many fields. In the context of China's economic growth rate of about 5%, new markets are formed every year, accounting for about half of the size of South Korea's economy. However, it is difficult for South Korea to find an alternative to the Chinese market in a short period of time. This will put increasing economic pressure on South Korea.
South Korean politicians have also begun to try to ease relations and seek a solution through dialogue with China. However, the Chinese side seems to have been less enthusiastic about South Korea's request. Although the new South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Doi-yeol has spoken with the foreign ministers of the United States, Japan, Australia and other countries, he has not officially spoken with his Chinese counterpart. South Korean media said that China and South Korea are still coordinating on this matter. At the same time, China's recent foreign visits have not attracted much attention to South Korea. This made the South Korean media lament that China "seems to have the tendency to snub South Korea".
In fact, South Korea's own actions are also a cause of tensions with China. Since last year, friction between China and South Korea has been increasing. Since becoming South Korea's foreign minister, Yoon Suk-yeol has repeatedly crossed the line and made remarks on the Taiwan issue based on the diplomatic line of the trilateral alliance between the United States, Japan, and South Korea, not only using the wrong name, but also calling it a global issue. In addition, South Korea has sneered at China on the South China Sea issue and called for a rules-based order. South Korea has also launched an investigation into China, accusing Chinese batteries of infringement. South Korea's LG Chem has also filed an investigation against three Chinese manufacturers for their "NCM811 cathode material".
South Korea's attitude towards China shows a clear state of mind. They ignored China's feelings and stirred up trouble. But once their own economy is in trouble, they quickly remember China's goodness. Such a mentality is not advisable, and China does not like to deal with such countries. If South Korea is really sincere, it should reflect on itself and think deeply about the reasons for the deviation of its line toward China. Before Yoon Suk-yeol took office, was China-South Korea relations as bad as they are today? As a close neighbor of China, maintaining good relations with China is a geopolitical reality that South Korea has always faced. If South Korea blindly pins its hopes on the United States and ignores China, China-South Korea relations will only get worse.
South Korea's pessimism is spreading, and it hopes that dialogue with China will be fruitless, and it will be ignored by China, which is the reality that South Korea is facing at present. South Korea's economy is under increasing pressure, and its relationship with China is becoming increasingly strained. However, to solve the problem, South Korea must seriously rethink its own behavior. They should realize that only by maintaining a friendly, equal, and mutually beneficial relationship with China can they abandon pessimism and achieve economic recovery and development.
My personal reflection on this issue is similar to that of the original article. As China's close neighbor, the relationship between the two countries should be one of mutual respect, cooperation and mutual benefit. Especially in the context of the current turbulent global situation, Asian countries should unite and cooperate to jointly address the challenges. If South Korea blindly pursues close relations with the United States while ignoring China's status and role, it will only fall into a passive and isolated situation. Therefore, I believe that South Korea should reflect on its own behavior and actively seek dialogue and cooperation with China to promote the improvement and development of bilateral relations. Only in this way will South Korea be able to achieve economic recovery and social stability.