China and South Korea made their reconciliation official Monday and announced plans for a summit. North Korea now faces new pressure to widen inspections of its nuclear program, and Taiwan is left isolated.
South Korean Foreign Minister Lee Sang-ock and Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen smiled as they toasted each other with champagne after signing documents establishing diplomatic relations after 43 years of Cold War enmity.South Korea immediately put an embassy sign on the office of its semi-official trade agency in Beijing. South Korea also said it hoped to hold talks next month on direct air routes.
China said it would open an embassy in Seoul as soon as possible. South Korea has said the six-story Taiwan embassy compound in central Seoul would be turned over to China and an unofficial "Taipei Representative Office" would be opened at a new location.
Taiwan severed its diplomatic relations with South Korea on Monday and announced several punitive trade measures. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Fredrick Chien offered to quit to assume responsibility for the diplomatic blow. Premier Hau Pei-tsun rejected Chien's resignation.
"Establishment of formal diplomatic relations . . . takes on historic significance in world history in that it puts an end to the last remnants of Cold War confrontation," President Roh Tae-woo said Monday in Seoul, appearing on nationwide television.
The diplomatic breakthrough brings hope for greater stability in Asia, in part by putting pressure on North Korea to end its armed isolation and increase contacts with South Korea and the West.
South Korea hopes China will use its close ties with North Korea to press for inter-Korean nuclear inspections.
Since the Korean Peninsula was divided at the end of World War II, Communist China has been aligned with Communist North Korea.