Korea: China: Lee Myung bak goes to Beijing, with an eye on North Korea

Seoul - South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will travel to Beijing on an official visit to meet with President Hu Jintao early next week. The topics of discussion will be the stability of the Korean peninsula and "a bilateral strategic partnership," according to a statement issued by the office of president. This is the first high-level meeting between the two leaders after the death of Kim Jong-il and the taking over of power by his son, Kim Jong-un. Lee Myung-bak will arrive in Beijing on January 9. His visit to China, the second of his mandate, will last three days.

According to South Korean sources, the hope is that the trip will strengthen the existing ties between the two countries. Lee Myung-bak will meet with Premier Wen Jiabao and President of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo. The previous visit took place in 2008. Analysts point out that Seoul wants to strengthen ties and contacts with China in light of the delicate moment of transition of power in North Korea, and the aggressive attitude adopted against Seoul by the new North Korean leadership in the aftermath of the change at the top.

Beijing is the main ally of North Korea, its biggest trading partner and gave its immediate support to the rise to power of Kim Jong-un after the death of his father. China will also chair the stalled six party dialogue, aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Also at the negotiating table in addition to the two Koreas, China and the United States, Japan and Russia. The media in Seoul have been critical of the rapid support provided by Beijing to Kim Jong-un, and relations between the two countries have been strained in recent weeks because of yet another accident at sea between the Chinese and South Koreans. (12/12/2011 Chinese fishermen kill a Korean coast guard. Tension between Seoul and Beijing). But China remains the largest trading partner of Seoul, and is not excluded that the visit will formalize a new economic pact.