Seoul summons China envoy in protest of comments on ties with US

TOKYO, June 9 (KUNA) -- South Korea summoned the top Chinese envoy to South Korea on Friday to lodge a complaint over the ambassador's controversial remarks on South Korea's ties with the US, denouncing them as interference in internal affairs, Yonhap News Agency reported.
First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin called in Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming earlier in the day, and "sternly warned" against the envoy's "unreasonable and provocative" remarks, the Foreign Ministry said in a release.
The move came a day after Xing expressed his discontent with South Korea's "pro-US diplomacy" and that South Korea may wrongly bet on US-China competition during a meeting with opposition leader Lee Jae-myung.
During the meeting, Xing called for Seoul's support for Beijing's "One China" principle, claiming China-Korea relations have recently faced "external challenges." Chang warned the remarks were in potential violation of the Vienna Convention, which regulates the mission of promoting friendly relations of diplomatic envoys, and that it could be seen as interference in South Korea's domestic politics.
Foreign Minister Park Jin also strongly criticized Xing's remarks, saying the ambassador "went too far." "There are diplomatic norms, and the role of an ambassador is to enhance friendship, not to spread misunderstandings," Park told reporters after speaking at a forum in Seoul. (end) mk.mt