BLACKPINK in, Ayumi out? Why China may reward Korea's soft stance amid Japan tensions

In a bid to overhaul their economic relationship, China and Korea are reviving long-stalled trade talks, with an eye on moving beyond factory floors to target the lucrative services sector as geopolitical shifts redraw the region’s alliances. The thaw follows a Dec. 12 agreement between Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao to accelerate negotiations on the second phase of their free-trade agreement (FTA). The push aims to expand cooperation in services, investment and finance after years of stagnation. The initiative follows President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Korea in late October, his first trip to the country in 11 years. “The current Lee Jae Myung administration is pursuing pragmatic diplomacy, which has become a turning point for improving relations and strengthening cooperation,” said Lee Chi-hun, general director at the Korea Centre for International Finance. “What was difficult to achieve through a bottom-up approach may now be possible through a top-down process.” The two nations signed the first-stage FTA i