AdvertisementAdvertisementEast AsiaChinese President Xi Jinping waves as he leaves Red Square after the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2025. (File photo: AFP/Kirill Kudryavtsev)10 Jun 2025 12:40PM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInRead a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST BEIJING: Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged South Korea's new President Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday (Jun 10) to work with Beijing to uphold free trade and defend "multilateralism", state media said.In a phone call with Lee, Xi urged Beijing and Seoul to "inject more certainty into regional and international situations", Xinhua said, as well as to "promote strategic cooperative partnership to higher level"."A healthy, stable, and continuously deepening China-South Korea relationship aligns with the trend of the times," Xi said."Close bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination should be maintained to jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade, ensuring the stability and smooth functioning of global and regional industrial and supply chains," the Chinese leader added.South Korea's new centre-left leader was elected in a landslide last week after winning a snap election triggered by his predecessor's disastrous martial law declaration.China exports slow as trade war takes tollXi vows to strengthen ties with South Korea after Lee's election: CCTVSeoul has long trod a fine line between top trading partner China and defence guarantor the United States.Relations suffered under Lee's predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who cleaved close to the US and sought to improve ties with former colonial master Japan.But both countries' export-driven economies have now found themselves in the crosshairs of US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz.And Lee hinted on the campaign trail that he would seek to improve ties with Beijing.He has also raised alarm by saying that a future conflict between China and Taiwan would not be South Korea's concern.Source: AFP/dcNewsletterWeek in ReviewSubscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in ReviewOur chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.NewsletterMorning BriefSubscribe to CNA’s Morning BriefAn automated curation of our top stories to start your day.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST