South Korean President, Lee Jae Myung, on Monday took a selfie with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and the latter’s wife, Peng Liyuan, after a successful meeting in Beijing that was aimed at improving diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Lee later posted the selfie on X, with a caption that called it “the shot of a lifetime”.
“A selfie with President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan, taken with the Xiaomi I received as a gift in Gyeongju,” said President Myung, adding that he intends to “communicate more frequently and collaborate more closely going forward”.
“Thanks to them, I got the shot of a lifetime,” he quipped.
This is the second meeting between the two leaders, with an earlier meeting having taken place on the sidelines of the APEC summit held in South Korea from October 30 to November 1, 2025.
President Myung is on a three-day state visit to China – his first since taking office in June 2025 – to discuss bilateral trade, energy cooperation, and rare earth resources.
Also Read: China, South Korea leaders meet to strengthen ties
During the APEC summit las year, the two leaders had shared a light-hearted moment when the South Korean president asked Jinping whether Xiaomi phones were secure. It prompted the Chinese leader to urge Myung to “check if there is a backdoor”, referring to any pre-installed spy software that could allow third-party monitoring.
During the latest ninety-minute meeting between the two on Monday, Jinping urged Myung to join Beijing in making the “right strategic choices” in a world that is “becoming more complex and turbulent”.
The South Korean leader, who took office in 2025 following the impeachment and removal of his predecessor over a martial law declaration, has sought to reset ties with China after a prolonged diplomatic chill.
Their meeting comes in the midst of chaotic geopolitical developments, the latest triggered by the United States’ invasion of Venezuela and the consequent capture of the country’s President, Nicolas Maduro and his wife. China has been vocal in condemning the assault, warning Washington not to “test its patience”.
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