▲ North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un (R) meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Pyongyang on April 10, 2026, in this file photo carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

Chinese FM-S Korea

No details finalized for China FM Wang Yi's visit to S. Korea: foreign ministry

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- No details have been arranged for Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's expected visit to South Korea, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday, while noting the two countries continue to maintain strategic communication.

The remarks by a foreign ministry official came amid speculation that Wang may be delaying his visit to South Korea in protest after Seoul decided to remove the "China (Taiwan)" label from its e-arrival system, following Taiwan's move to change South Korea's designation in its immigration system from "Korea" to "Korea (South)."

"While there are no details decided regarding (Chinese) Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit, our government welcomes Wang's visit to implement follow-up measures for South Korea-China summit talks," the official said, adding both sides continue to maintain close strategic communication through various channels.

"The change in the e-arrival card system is simply an administrative and technological measure aimed at enhancing visitor convenience. It is not true Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to South Korea has been delayed due to this measure," the official said.

In January, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said he was seeking to meet one-on-one with Wang sometime "in the first quarter," raising the possibility of Wang travelling to Seoul.

But no meeting between them has taken place. Wang instead made a two-day visit to North Korea earlier this month.

South Korea severed official diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1992, when it established formal relations with mainland China. Since then, the two sides have maintained practical ties in an unofficial manner.

China considers Taiwan, self-governed since it broke away from the mainland in 1949, as part of its territory that must be reunified by force, if necessary, and it has strongly objected to any country that challenges this stance.

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