ISTANBUL

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday held separate talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the G20 summit in South Africa amid tensions over Taiwan between Tokyo and Beijing.

During his meeting with Takaichi, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of bilateral ties and the need for "future-oriented" cooperation, Seoul's presidential office said in a press release on Sunday.

"Managing the two countries' relations stably is the role of politicians," Lee was quoted as saying by Seoul-based Yonhap News.

"I hope that the two countries will further develop their relations while focusing on sectors where bilateral cooperation is possible," he added.

The leaders agreed to continue visits to each other's countries and communicate more closely on a wide range of issues, including the economy and security.

Meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Lee urged Seoul and Beijing to push for cooperation that would substantively support the livelihoods of people in both nations.

Calling President Jinping Xi's recent visit to South Korea "successful," Li expressed his hope to enhance "mutually beneficial" cooperation with South Korea, and steadfastly develop bilateral relations from a "long-term" perspective, according to the presidential office.

No meeting between Japanese, Chinese leaders

Takaichi and Li, however, did not meet during the G20 summit in Johannesburg this weekend, according to Kyodo News.

"Since I became prime minister, Japan's intention to build mutually beneficial, constructive and stable ties remains unchanged," Takaichi told reporters after the summit.

"Japan is open to dialogue at various levels," she said. "There are concerns and issues between Japan and China. That's why we should work to reduce them, understand each other, and cooperate more."

The development follows Takaichi’s remarks earlier this month that any Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount legally to a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially enabling it to “exercise the right of collective self-defense.”

China sharply criticized the comments, which were made days after Takaichi met Xi in South Korea on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Following Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan, hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists reportedly canceled trips to Japan, while Tokyo said Beijing had imposed a ban on seafood imports.

Beijing also postponed a trilateral meeting of culture ministers with Japan and South Korea, a decision that drew criticism from Tokyo.