President Lee Jae Myung (left) and Chinese President Xi Jiping on Jan. 5 shake hands at a ceremony for signing a bilateral memorandum of understanding at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Cheong Wa Dae)

By Kim Seon Ah

China has removed a structure that it installed in overlapping waters of the Yellow (West) Sea, but says the move was an independent decision made by a company, not due to Korea's request or diplomatic consultations.

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun said this on Jan. 27 in responding to a question at a news briefing on if the structure was removed.

"A Chinese company is working to relocate the management platform," he said. "It is autonomously adjusting the layout under its own management and development needs."

"China's stance on fisheries and aquaculture facilities in the South China Sea and Yellow Sea remains the same," he added. "As maritime neighbors, China and Korea have maintained close communication on maritime issues, adequately managing and controlling differences of opinion and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation."

This explanation appears to caution against interpreting the relocation as a direct result of bilateral consultations, while also suggesting common ground on managing conflicts over maritime issues.

Korea previously raised China's illegal installation of the structures in the Provisional Measures Zone of the Yellow Sea between both countries. Both sides have discussed the matter through working-level channels.

The issue was also raised at the Jan. 5 summit in Beijing between President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

President Lee on Jan. 7 told a luncheon for reporters in Shanghai, "We agreed to hold practical discussions on drawing a precise line in the middle."

"They say two fish farm facilities are there and a facility to manage them," he added. "They say they will remove the management facility, so it will probably be moved."

sofiakim218@Korea.kr