A famous South Korean singer has taken to the stage in Beijing for the first time since 2016.
Three years ago the Chinese government banned all K-pop stars from performing in China after Seoul decided to deploy the U.S. THAAD missile defense system.
Could this mean the ban could be lifted going forward?
Kim Hyo-sun reports.
World-famous K-pop singer Rain was invited to perform at the Asian Culture Carnival held in Beijing on Wednesday evening on the sidelines of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations.
It is being seen as a sign China could be lifting its ban on South Korean contents that was imposed in 2016 following Seoul's deployment of the THAAD missile defense system.
This is the first time a Korean celebrity has taken to the stage to perform at an official event since then.
Rain performed side-by-side with Singapore's Lin Junjie, a famous singer in mainland China.
The event drew over 30-thousand people, including high-level Chinese government officials and various international delegations.
It was also televised live on China Central Television.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also attended the event,... stressing in his congratulatory speech that Beijing can contribute to making a beautiful future together with Asia and the rest of the world.
The fact a K-pop star took part in a large-scale event in Beijing could have significant meaning going forward.
Analysts also predict that, with the Chinese leader's possible visit to Seoul before the end of the year,... K-pop stars could be able to perform in China again.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.