BEIJING (January 5, 2026) – President Lee Jae Myung attended the Korea–China Business Forum on Monday morning at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. The forum was jointly hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Held on the occasion of President Lee’s first state visit to China, the business forum brought together a large number of Korean and Chinese business leaders for the first time in nine years. More than 600 people attended the event, including 416 from the 161 companies comprising the Korean business delegation as well as approximately 200 Chinese business leaders. Vice Premier He Lifeng, who oversees economic affairs in China, represented the Chinese government at the forum.

In his keynote address, President Lee cited the “spirit of Byeongnando” as a vision for the future of Korea–China cooperation. President Lee noted that “through the circulation of trade and knowledge, Goryeo and Song China furthered their development and cultural maturation” and that “trade and exchanges through Byeongnando continued even during periods of diplomatic tension and conflict.” He emphasized that “this is precisely the “spirit of Byeongnando” that we must focus on again today.”

President Lee also called upon the participants to promote exchanges and cooperation at the private-sector level, saying, “Building on the solid foundation of manufacturing – as with Goryeo paper – we must create new values together by incorporating the color and narrative of services and content. Together, we should build a cooperative framework in which these achievements drive the development and sustained growth of both our countries.” 

Prior to the forum, President Lee held a preliminary meeting with leading Korean and Chinese business figures. At this meeting, he was briefed on the current state of their business and future directions for cooperation, and he called for expanded collaboration.

President Lee also stated that “Korea and China are like vessels sailing together in the same direction, on the same sea,” noting that “by closely linking our industrial supply chains, we have supported each other’s development and helped power the global economy.”

He went on to say, “Now is the time to set out on a new course,” adding that “consumer goods such as daily necessities, beauty products and food, as well as such cultural content as films, music, games and sports, will serve as new breakthroughs.” He also emphasized that “artificial intelligence will broaden the scope and deepen the depth of cooperation across various sectors, such as manufacturing and services.” He then presented a vision for exchanges in the fields of manufacturing, services and culture aimed at fully restoring and consolidating Korea–China relations.

A total of eleven prominent Korean business leaders attended the meeting, including Chey Tae-won, the Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Lee Jae-yong, the Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chung Eui-sun, the Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group; and Koo Kwang-mo, the Chairman of LG Group. Also present were Jang Cheol-hyuk, the CEO of SM Entertainment, and Kim Chang-han, the CEO of Krafton, among others actively pursuing cooperation with China across a wide range of sectors, including culture and content.

Among the Chinese attendees were leaders of representative state-run entities and corporations: Ren Hongbin, the Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade; Hou Qijun, the Chairman of China Petroleum & Chemical Corp.; Ni Zhen, the Chairman of China Energy Engineering Corp.; and Lin Liao, the Chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. Also present were eleven business leaders who have a significant cooperative relationship with Korea. They included Li Dongsheng, the Chairman of TCL Technology Group, and Zeng Yuqun, the Chairman of CATL – both involved in high-tech industries – as well as Wang Jianyou, the Chairman of Lancy, and Liu Yong, the Vice President of Tencent – representing the consumer goods and content industries, respectively. The business leaders spoke about their areas of interest and joint projects and actively discussed plans for cooperation.

Moreover, President Lee said, “As President Xi Jinping has affirmed, ‘Korea and China have an inseparable relationship,’” and “I hope this event will serve as a valuable opportunity for us, as close neighbors, to build a mutually beneficial and friendly relationship, even in the economic realm.” He urged the business leaders of both countries to engage in substantive economic cooperation to advance Korea–China relations.

In his welcoming remarks, Vice Premier He Lifeng expressed hope that the bilateral summit later in the day will lead to a relationship of greater mutual trust and development. He then encouraged Chinese and Korean companies to explore the potential for cooperation through robust partnership and in-depth exchanges.