Symbolic gift for the Chinese leader. What South Korea's new president offered Xi Jinping and what he got in return. Relaxed bilateral meeting
New South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presented Chinese leader Xi Jinping with a handmade gift during a state visit on Saturday.
Xi Jinping and the new president of South Korea, Lee Jae Myung. PHOTO: X/@RecordGBA
The gesture comes just days after Lee presented US President Donald Trump with a gold crown during a bilateral summit. Lee Jae Myung presented the Chinese leader with a Go board, considered “the most exquisite” from the world. These two gifts have strong diplomatic meanings and reflect the delicate balance of Seoul's relations with Washington and Beijing, Reuters notes.
And Xi Jinping gave gifts to the new president of South Korea. China provided South Korea with high-end Chinese Xiaomi phones for Lee and his wife (with Korean-made screen). When Lee Jae-myung jokingly asked: “How is telecommunications security?”, Xi Jinping replied: “You can check whether or not there is a hidden door.”
The meeting between Xi Jinping and Lee Jae Myung took place in the historic city of Gyeongju on the last day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. South Korea's new leader has vowed to work to improve relations with China, the country's main trading partner, after a period of political and economic tension.
Lee's gift has a deep symbolic charge. Go is a strategy game originating in China, also popular in South Korea and Japan, in which two players try to expand their territory by moving black and white stones on a square board.
The plaque given to the Chinese leader was made from the wood of Torreya nucifera, a rare tree that grows on the South Korean island of Jeju. Some boards made from the same type of wood can fetch up to 5 million won (about $3,500).
Both Xi and Lee are passionate about the game of Go. 11 years ago, when Xi visited South Korea, he received a set of stones for this game as a gift.
Gifts with a diplomatic message
In addition to the Go board, Lee also presented the Chinese president with a traditional Korean lacquer tray decorated with mother-of-pearl, symbolizing the desire to maintain friendly and balanced relations between the two countries.
A few days ago, during a meeting with Donald Trump, Lee presented the US president with a replica of a golden crown discovered in Gyeongju, as a tribute to his role in the peace process on the Korean Peninsula. Trump also received “Grand Order of Mugunghwa”, South Korea's highest award.
After the meeting with Xi Jinping, the South Korean leader hosted a state dinner that included dishes specific to both cultures — dumplings, sweet-spicy fried chicken (a favorite of Chinese tourists) and abalone in Mala sauce, a traditional dish from the Sichuan province that is popular in South Korea.
