[1/3] Printed Chinese language and South Korean flags are seen on this illustration, July 21, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
BEIJING, Could 27 (Reuters) – China and South Korea have agreed to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on semiconductor business provide chains, amid broader world issues over chip provides, sanctions and nationwide safety, China’s commerce minister stated.
Wang Wentao met with South Korean Commerce Minister Ahn Duk-geun on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation (APEC) convention in Detroit, which ended on Friday.
They exchanged views on sustaining the steadiness of the commercial provide chain and strengthening cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral fields, in line with an announcement from the Chinese language Ministry of Commerce on Saturday.
Wang additionally stated that China is prepared to work with South Korea to deepen commerce ties and funding cooperation.
Nevertheless, a South Korean assertion on the identical assembly didn’t point out chips, as a substitute saying the nation’s commerce minister had requested China to stabilise the availability of key uncooked supplies, and requested for a predictable enterprise setting for South Korean firms in China.
“The South Korean facet expressed that communication is required between working-level officers over all industries”, not only for semiconductors, a supply with information of the matter advised Reuters. The supply declined to be recognized as a result of they weren’t authorised to talk to the media. South Korea is within the crosshairs of a tit-for-tat row between america and China over semiconductors.
China’s our on-line world regulator stated final week that Micron (MU.O) had failed its community safety overview and that it will block operators of key infrastructure from shopping for from the corporate. The U.S. has pushed for international locations to restrict China’s entry to superior chips, citing a number of causes together with nationwide safety.
About 40% South Korea’s chip exports go to China, in line with commerce ministry knowledge, whereas U.S. expertise and tools are essential for South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK Hynix (000660.KS).
Reporting by Ella Cao and Bernard Orr, and Joyce Lee in Soeul; Modifying by Kim Coghill
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