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South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung is set to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping as he seeks to reset frayed ties with his country's biggest trading partner, BBC reported. 

Regional security and Beijing's unofficial ban on Korean pop culture are also on the agenda for Monday's meeting, which is their second summit since November, when Xi visited South Korea. 

Given what a vital economic partner China is, experts say Lee is looking for assurances that it would not weaponise that relationship in the face of political tensions in the region, according to BBC. 

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles into the sea on Sunday, just hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed for China for high-level talks expected to address Pyongyang’s nuclear program. According to AP, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said several missiles were fired from the North’s capital region around 7:50 am, flying about 900 kilometers. South Korea and the United States are analyzing the launches and coordinating closely with Japan.

Japan’s defense minister confirmed at least two launches, calling them a serious threat to regional and global security. The tests are the latest in a series of weapons demonstrations ahead of North Korea’s anticipated ruling party congress, where new policies toward the US may be announced. The launches also added urgency to Lee’s China visit, during which he plans to urge Beijing to play a constructive role in easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea later convened an emergency security meeting, condemning the launches as violations of UN resolutions.

Myanmar’s military government granted amnesty to more than 6,100 prisoners on Sunday to mark the 78th anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain. State-run MRTV reported that junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing pardoned 6,134 inmates, while a separate statement said 52 foreign prisoners would be released and deported. Authorities did not clarify whether the freed detainees included political prisoners jailed for opposing military rule.

The move comes as the military advances a monthlong, three-stage election process that critics say is meant to legitimize its continued grip on power. Some prisoners also received reduced sentences, excluding those convicted of serious crimes or security-related offenses. Releases, common during national holidays, began Sunday and are expected to take several days.

Former information minister Ye Htut was among those freed, but there was no indication that ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, serving a 27-year sentence, would be released.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in China on Sunday for a four-day visit as Beijing seeks to strengthen ties with Seoul amid tensions over Taiwan. The trip is Lee’s first to China since taking office in June and follows strained relations between China and Japan after remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about military involvement if China acts against Taiwan.

China’s state news agency Xinhua said Lee landed in Beijing, where he will meet President Xi Jinping, marking their second meeting in two months. Ahead of the visit, Lee told state broadcaster CCTV that his government values relations with China and respects the One-China policy. He said bilateral ties depend on mutual respect and described Xi as a reliable neighbor.

China held military drills around Taiwan after US arms sales to the island. Lee said South Korea’s alliance with Washington should not lead to confrontation with Beijing.