China and South Korea pledge to bolster ties as regional tensions rise

BEIJING (AP) — China and South Korea’s leaders pledged to boost trade and safeguard regional stability on Monday during a visit to Beijing by the South Korean president that was overshadowed by North Korea’s recent ballistic missile tests.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met Chinese President Xi Jinping as part of his four-day trip to China — his first since taking office, in June.

As Xi hosted Lee at the imposing Great Hall of the People, the Chinese president stressed the...