(MENAFN) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has proposed his nation serve as a mediator to defuse mounting friction between China and Japan, warning that partisan alignment would only intensify the crisis, media reported Wednesday.

Speaking at a press briefing in Seoul, President Lee outlined his administration's willingness to facilitate dialogue between the rival powers when opportunities arise.

"Taking sides would only escalate the conflict. This applies to both personal relationships and international relations. Rather than taking sides, it's better to seek ways to coexist," Lee said.

Relations between Beijing and Tokyo deteriorated sharply last month following controversial remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who declared that any Chinese military action against Taiwan could legally constitute a "survival-threatening situation," potentially authorizing Japan to "exercise the right of collective self-defense."

China responded with forceful condemnation and implemented punitive measures including issuing travel advisories discouraging tourism to Japan, halting seafood imports from Japanese suppliers, and canceling a scheduled trilateral culture ministers' summit involving Japan and South Korea.

The diplomatic standoff underscores deepening regional divisions over Taiwan's status and security arrangements in the Indo-Pacific, with Seoul now positioning itself as a potential bridge between the two Asian economic powerhouses. President Lee's intervention signals growing concern that unchecked tensions could destabilize the broader East Asian region.

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