韩国总统时隔9年再度访华，专家：李在明此访利于韩国“重新认识中国”

Group 1 - The core point of the news is that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will visit China from January 4 to 7, 2026, marking his first state visit to China since taking office, and it is expected to enhance the strategic partnership between China and South Korea [1][7] - This visit is significant as it is the first state visit by a South Korean president to China in nearly nine years, following the visit of former President Moon Jae-in in 2017 [1][7] - The visit comes 215 days after Lee's inauguration and follows a previous meeting between the two leaders at the APEC summit in November 2023, indicating a renewed focus on bilateral relations [1][7] Group 2 - A key focus of Lee's visit will be to explore new economic cooperation models between China and South Korea, particularly in high-tech industries such as artificial intelligence [3][9] - Lee will lead a trade delegation of approximately 200 members, including representatives from major South Korean companies, to discuss economic collaboration [3][9] - The bilateral trade volume between China and South Korea has significantly increased from about $5 billion in 1992 to $328.08 billion in 2022, with China being South Korea's largest trading partner for 21 consecutive years [3][9] Group 3 - In 2023, South Korea experienced a trade deficit with China for the first time in 31 years, with exports to China amounting to $124.835 billion and imports totaling $142.849 billion, resulting in a deficit of approximately $18 billion [4][11] - The need for new cooperation models is emphasized due to the changing dynamics of trade, with the U.S. becoming South Korea's largest trade surplus country [4][11] - The second phase of the China-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations is expected to expand market access beyond industrial goods and agricultural products to include services and investments [4][11] Group 4 - South Korea's government has allocated 10.1 trillion won (approximately 53.5 billion yuan) for AI development in its 2026 budget, which is three times the budget for 2025, indicating a strong focus on high-tech industries [5][12] - There is a growing trend of bilateral investment, with Chinese investment in South Korea reaching $5.786 billion in 2024, a 266.1% increase year-on-year [6][13] - The recognition of China's technological advancements is crucial for South Korean companies, as they seek to enhance cooperation in sectors like electric vehicles and semiconductors [5][12][13]