South Korea put out its first strategy report for the Indo-Pacific region, which hardly mentions China and signals Seoul is seeking a cautious balance between its biggest trade partner Beijing and main military ally, the US.
The 43-page document released Wednesday and titled the “Strategy for a Free, Peaceful, and Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region,” issued a single paragraph about relations with China. Beijing was called a “key partner” and the report said Seoul “will nurture a sounder and more mature relationship as we pursue shared interests based on mutual respect and reciprocity, guided by international norms and rules.”
