Chronologies
China - Korea
Chronology from Jan 2021 to May 2021
: North Korea announces plans to build an “export processing zone” near its border with China.
: South Korea hosts 10th annual China-Japan-South Korea International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation.
: China and South Korea participate in the 77th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
: Xi and Moon take part in a virtual Leaders Summit on Climate at the invitation of US President Joe Biden.
: Moon takes part in 2021 Boao Forum for Asia held in the Chinese province of Hainan, along with Xi and leaders of several other Asian nations.
: South Korea’s Oceans Ministry announces plans to conduct a joint operation with its Chinese counterpart to curb illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea.
: South Korean Director of National Security Suh Hoon reportedly tells US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Seoul that China and North Korea are preparing to hold a summit.
: North Korea’s Ambassador to China Ri Ryong Nam presents credentials to Xi.
: China opens the 129th Canton Fair online, with companies from South Korea and other countries in attendance at the virtual trade exhibition.
: Hyundai Motor Group announces plans to launch electric vehicles in China every year starting in 2022.
: Radio Free Asia announces that North Korea has completed construction of a new rail route to its border with China designed to isolate freight to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
: China and South Korea hold first meeting on exchanges and cooperation on maritime affairs.
: North Korea joins China and South Korea in condemning Japan’s decision to release contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean.
: Liu Xiaoming is appointed Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Korea Peninsula Affairs.
: Representatives from China and South Korea participate in ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus (ADSOM-Plus) conference.
: China and South Korea announce that they will coordinate and establish a mechanism for mutual recognition of their health codes and that they will support the inclusion of each other’s citizens in their COVID-19 vaccination programs.
: Foreign ministers Wang and Chung hold talks in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen.
: South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosts the second virtual meeting on “Northeast Asia Cooperation for Health Security,” which brings together director-level officials and ambassadors from South Korea, the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and Mongolia.
: Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao meets North Korean Ambassador to China Ri Ryong Nam.
: In response to reports about North Korea firing two unidentified projectiles, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua asserts that China seeks a political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.
: China’s Tencent Music Entertainment enters a partnership with South Korea’s JYP Entertainment.
: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying asserts that it is China’s policy to maintain, consolidate, and develop China-North Korea relations and that China has repeatedly called on the UN Security Council to modify sanctions on North Korea to improve the humanitarian situation.
: North Korean leader Kim and President Xi pledge to develop bilateral ties.
: Chinese Foreign Ministry denies South Korean media reports blaming China for “yellow dust” sandstorm.
: Chinese government officially ratifies RCEP.
: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers government work report that calls for acceleration of free trade negotiations with South Korea to China’s top legislature.
: Eighth director-general-level meeting on the delimitation of maritime boundaries between China and South Korea takes place in video format.
: South Korea and China sign a revised memorandum of understanding on the establishment of direct communication lines between their air forces and navies.
: Chinese Ministry of Commerce and South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy hold meeting of chief negotiators for the second phase of free trade agreement negotiations.
: China’s CCTV and South Korea’s KBS sign an agreement to cooperate in various aspects of the cultural industry.
: North Korea appoints its former trade minister, Ri Ryong Nam, as ambassador to China.
: South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and Wang agree to push for high-level exchanges to further deepen bilateral relations.
: Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming calls on South Korea to support China’s position on Taiwan and Hong Kong in a meeting with Kwon Ki-sik, head of the Korea-China City Friendship Association.
: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Son Gwon exchange New Year’s congratulatory messages.
: Xi expresses support for Korean denuclearization in a call with Moon and both agree to jointly develop China-South Korea relations.
: Independence Hall of Korea, a history museum in Cheonan, South Korea, announces plans to set up a memorial hall dedicated to China and South Korea’s joint fight against Japanese aggression prior to and during World War II.
: ROK President Moon Jae-in asserts the need to establish a foundation upon which bilateral China-South Korea relations will be elevated to a new height in opening remarks at a Plenary Meeting of the South Korean National Security Council.
: South Korea’s trade commission decides to uphold anti-dumping tariffs on imported Chinese H-shaped beams.
: Hyundai Motor Group announces that it has signed an investment contract with the government of Guangdong Province to establish an offshore fuel cell system production factory in Guangzhou, China.
: Kim Jong Un expresses gratitude to Xi and his intention to consolidate the China-North Korea friendship.
: Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea expresses gratitude to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for its congratulatory message.
: Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulates North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on his election as general secretary of the ruling party and calls for strong relations between the two countries.
: In his New Year’s Address South Korean President Moon Jae-in expresses his intent to expedite free trade agreement negotiations with China.
: In remarks at the Eighth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un asserts importance of prioritizing special China-North Korea relations.
: China’s Commerce Ministry introduces its 2021 work focus, which includes promotion of early implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), acceleration of talks for a China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, and active consideration of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2021.
: Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sends a congratulatory message to the Workers’ Party of Korea on its Eighth Party Congress.