S. Korean president to attend China's military parade in apparent snub to Washington

Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-8-28 18:08:07

Despite apparent opposition from the United States, South Korean President Park Geun-hye has decided to attend the Sept. 3 military parade in Beijing to mark the 70th anniversary of China's victory over Japan in World War II.

Seoul said her attendance is conducive to regional peace and bilateral cooperation.

Park will embark on her three-day visit on Sept 2.

Her confirmation to attend the parade comes amid reports that Washington had sought to persuade Park not to do so.

The Kyodo news agency reported on Aug. 9 that the Obama administration had warned that if Park attends the parade, it would send a false message to the world that China has cracked the US-South Korea alliance, US diplomatic sources said.

The report, however, has been denied by Seoul, a key ally of the United States in East Asia for more than 60 years.

China and South Korea maintain close ties and the leaders of the two countries have successfully exchanged visits and reached important consensus in the past.

Moreover, the two sides signed a free trade agreement (FTA) on June 1, 2015. In 2014, two-way trade had reached nearly 300 billion US dollars.

South Korea and China were also both victims of Japan's aggression in World War II. Both have urged Japan to face up to its wartime history, admit its atrocities and issue a sincere apology.

Posted in: Asia-Pacific

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