South Korea summons China’s envoy over comments accusing Seoul of tilting excessively toward US

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has summoned China’s ambassador to protest comments he made accusing Seoul of tilting toward the United States and away from China, as competition between Washington and Beijing for global influence intensifies. South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin warned Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming over remarks he made during a meeting with a South Korean opposition leader. He accused him of violating diplomatic protocols and interfering with South Korean domestic politics. In his remarks, Xing accused the South Korean government of leaning excessively toward the United States, its treaty ally, and damaging its relations with China, its biggest trading partner.