CHINA-ROK: XI JINPING'S VISIT
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Xi Jinping's two-day Summit visit to Seoul marked his fifth meeting with his South Korean counter-part and appeared to hint at a subtle shift in Sino-North Korea relations. Xi Jinping has become the first Chinese President to visit Seoul before visiting Pyongyang. Kim Heung-kyu, Professor of Diplomacy at South Korea's Ajou University, observed: “In the past, China thought of its relationship with South Korea as being subordinate to the Sino-North Korea relationship. But now, China is looking at its relationship with North Korea as a normal state-to-state relationship.” South Korean media reports state that Chinese President Xi Jinping received a warm welcome from the youth in South Korea. Particularly publicised were Xi Jinping's wife, Peng Liyuan's remark that when she and her young daughter see photos of Xi Jinping they feel like, "you come from the stars."
The South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that Peng Liyuan visited the ancient Korean palace museum Changdeokgung Palace on July 3. Later that evening the Chinese President and his wife were hosted to a dinner by ROK President Park Geun-hee where over 50 leading members of South Korean society were invited, including the South Korean chess champion Lee Chang-ho.
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