China and South Korea need each other more than ever

Cao Xin is a senior researcher at The Charhar Institute, a Beijing-based think tank.

South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik this month undertook a five-day visit to China to discuss, according to South Korean media, issues such as deepening economic ties and preserving historical sites linked to Korea's independence movement. Woo also outlined South Korea's parliamentary efforts to strengthen democratic mechanisms following President Yoon Suk Yeol's aborted declaration of martial law. Most significantly, he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. My sources describe the meeting as positive and productive.