**South Korea–China bilateral engagement has advanced steadily since President Lee Jae-Myung took office in mid-2025, with Xi Jinping and Lee holding their first meeting on the sidelines of the November 2025 APEC summit in Gyeongju and a second summit during Lee’s January 2026 state visit to Beijing.** The January meeting produced 15 cooperation agreements on technology, trade, intellectual property, and transportation, alongside commitments to resume strategic dialogue channels, advance South Korea–China FTA negotiations, and expand cultural exchanges. Lee has framed these steps as the start of full-scale restoration of ties, emphasizing pragmatic economic interests and mutual respect for core concerns, while Xi has highlighted continuity in Beijing’s policy toward Seoul and the need for both sides to make “correct strategic choices” amid regional tensions. No additional leader-level meeting has been announced since January, though Xi sent formal congratulations to Lee on South Korea’s Liberation Day in August 2026. Lee’s current schedule centers on European diplomacy, including a September 2026 state visit to France, with South Korean priorities also including U.S. alliance management and North Korea engagement. Trader assessments of the odds for a further Xi-Lee meeting by any near-term deadline will likely hinge on whether scheduled multilateral forums or bilateral visits materialize before the resolution date, given the established pattern of reciprocal high-level contact.