South Korea's diplomatic white paper expresses the spirit of "putting the past behind" with Japan, what does it say about China?

On January 3, the South Korean Foreign Ministry released its annual diplomatic white paper, which covers relations with three Northeast Asian countries and the United States.

Sách Trắng ngoại giao Hàn Quốc thể hiện tinh thần 'gác lại quá khứ' với Nhật Bản, nói gì về Trung Quốc? (Nguồn: IC)

For the third consecutive year, South Korea's diplomatic white paper describes Japan as its 'closest neighbor'. (Source: IC)

In the introduction to the White Paper, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin wrote: "Since taking office, the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol has spared no effort to promote the Korea-US relationship to its highest level ever through active high-level diplomacy...:".

The diplomat also highlighted the launch of the Indo-Pacific strategy, calling it South Korea's first comprehensive regional strategy aimed at expanding diplomatic reach and strengthening solidarity with countries that share common values.

Regarding North Korea, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said Seoul has sought to bring Pyongyang onto the path of denuclearization as its neighbor continues its nuclear and missile tests at an “unprecedented” level.

The White Paper noted that due to North Korea's moves, the US, South Korea and Japan have strengthened cooperation in 2022, with President Yoon Suk Yeol holding two trilateral summits with the remaining leaders within just six months of taking office in May 2022.

Referring to relations with Japan, Seoul affirmed its efforts to improve bilateral relations with Tokyo, which have become strained over the issue of forced labor during Japan's 1910-1945 rule of the Korean Peninsula.

“South Korea and Japan are neighbors and closest cooperative partners, sharing universal values, such as freedom, human rights and the rule of law, and seeking common interests in security, the economy and global agendas,” the white paper stated.

This is also the third consecutive year that the document describes Japan as the “closest neighbor” and adds the phrase “cooperative partner” to refer to Tokyo.

Meanwhile, this year's South Korean diplomatic white paper also considers China as Seoul's "neighbor" and largest trading partner, as well as a "major cooperative partner" in the process of resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

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