Regional Strain

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit beginning Sunday, a move widely seen as Beijing’s effort to tighten ties with Seoul as regional tensions rise over Taiwan and relations with Japan remain strained.

The visit comes barely two months after Xi and Lee last met, an unusually short gap for top level diplomacy that highlights China’s urgency in strengthening political and economic links with South Korea. Analysts say the timing also reflects Beijing’s desire to engage Seoul ahead of Lee’s expected visit to Japan.

China and Japan relations have …