The leaders of China and South Korea moved to rebuild relations after years of weakening economic ties and a closer Seoul-Washington partnership.
The first summit between Xi Jinping and South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, underscored Seoul’s balancing act between the US and China: While Lee sealed a US trade pact days ago, he was jovial with the Chinese leader on Saturday.
They joked about the usually fraught subject of cyberespionage after Xi gifted two Chinese-made phones with Korean displays, marking a rare, off-the-cuff moment for the Chinese leader in a public setting.
The exchange reflected efforts by both countries to bolster economic ties; Korean investment in China has tumbled in recent years.