한중 ‘전략적 협력동반자 관계’의 딜레마 - 한중수교 30년의 평가 -

Abstract

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and China. The two countries’ bilateral relations have been dynamically transformed in the past three decades. The rise of China as a global power has, in many ways, transformed the symmetrical relations into an imbalanced interaction with Beijing playing a more dominant role. The intensifying US-China power competition and the assertive Chinese foreign policy have impacted the trajectory of China-Korea relations. While the relations between Beijing and Seoul have been hailed as a strategic cooperative partnership, fundamental differences exist on how both countries perceived the notion of “strategic.” The giant Northeast Asian country has been wary of Korea’s propensity to align with the US while Korea on the one hand has viewed China’s aggressive and expanding foreign policy goals as worrisome in terms of implications to its national interests. There is also a widening negative perception of China among the Korean private sector and the general public. The ever deepening relations between China and Korea are not without difficulties. In the state of international relations, countries clash over their respective national interests. China-Korea relations are not immune to the push and pull of both domestic and global politics. The coming of a new Korean government with conservative leanings could exacerbate these conflicts over divergent national interests Firstly, the US-Korea security alliance has been a source of discomfort for China which considers the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia as under its sphere of influence. Secondly, the North Korean nuclear issue has so far produced contrasting approaches on how to deal with this security threat. Thirdly, the nature of global value chain and supply chain have become more intricate and they play a huge role in international trade Lastly, the socio-cultural dimension of the bilateral ties is hard to disregard. Therefore, it is necessary to present new principles on how to reconstruct the future Korea-China relationship. The first principle is co-evolution. Secondly, a new thinking is needed. The third is the pursuit of triple wins. Fourthly, complex approach for peace on the Korean Peninsula must be continued.