Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday engaged in pivotal discussions with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, reinforcing their mutual commitment to cooperation amidst global challenges, as stated by his office. Lee emphasized the necessity for South Korea and the United States to enhance economic collaboration through continuous communication to sustain the "positive trend" of stable economies despite global uncertainties, according to his spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee advocated for the advancement of bilateral cooperation in economic and technological domains, focusing particularly on critical minerals, supply chains, and foreign exchange markets. Bessent acknowledged Lee's leadership for South Korea's resilience and robust stock market amid challenging circumstances like the Middle East conflict, as shared by the spokesperson during a press briefing.

In his earlier discussions with He, Lee urged the Chinese vice premier to actively contribute to expanding cooperation between South Korea and China across various sectors, including the economy, industry, trade, and culture. He expressed satisfaction with the uptick in bilateral trade this year and extended greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Lee reminisced about his January meeting with Xi and requested He to convey his sincerest greetings to the Chinese president, the spokesperson added. These strategic dialogues occurred as Bessent and He were in Seoul to coordinate the agenda for Thursday's significant summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Xi in Beijing.

Following their consultations with Lee, Bessent and He convened privately at a VIP lounge at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. The talks were conducted under stringent security, with all access points to the lounge, including press access, closed. Bessent is set to travel to Beijing to join Trump on his two-day visit to China.