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North-China Summit Possible at November APEC? Beijing Declines to Comment
Published : Aug 20, 2026 5:25 PM
▲ Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who also serves as the director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, pose for a commemorative handshake during the South Korea-China foreign ministers' meeting held at the Government Complex-Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 19th.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declined to comment and remained tight-lipped regarding the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled to be held in Shenzhen, China, in November.
During a regular press briefing today (the 20th), Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian was asked to comment as the host country on the potential of a North Korea-U.S. summit taking place this coming November, to which he responded, "I am not aware of any specific information and have no comment to make."
On the 19th, U.S. President Donald Trump responded "I expect so" when a reporter asked whether he expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un within the year.
Previously, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump has been urging his aides to arrange a meeting with Chairman Kim as early as this autumn, and has privately discussed holding an in-person meeting with him during his next visit to Asia.
The APEC summit to be held in Shenzhen in November is widely being discussed as the likely occasion for the mentioned "visit to Asia."
Spokesperson Lin also refrained from answering when asked whether there are plans for a South Korea-China summit on the margins of the APEC summit.
He stated, "We will announce news regarding the appropriate time," adding only a principled position that "taking the opportunity of hosting this year's informal APEC economic leaders' meeting, China is willing to join hands with all parties, including South Korea, to jointly build an Asia-Pacific community and inject new momentum into world peace and development."
According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi—who visited South Korea on the 19th and met with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun—stated that if President Lee attends the Shenzhen APEC summit, China is actively considering a meeting between the leaders of South Korea and China and called for working together toward that end.
(Photo: Joint Press Corps, Yonhap News)
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