China says it has reached a consensus with South Korea on bolstering cooperation in semiconductors, amid efforts by Washington to rally allies against Beijing in a tech war.
In talks on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) trade ministers' meeting in Detroit, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and South Korean Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun agreed to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in semiconductor supply chains, according to China's Commerce Ministry.
However, Seoul made no mention of discussions between the trade chiefs about the semiconductor sector, noting only that Ahn requested support from Beijing to stabilise the supply and demand of key raw materials and parts.
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The talks were the two ministers' first interaction in about a year and came just weeks after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol sparked outrage in Beijing for suggesting that "the Taiwan issue is not simply an issue between China and Taiwan".
South Korea is a powerhouse in the global semiconductor industry, with major companies like Samsung and SK Hynix making the nation a crucial player in both the memory and processing chip markets.
But its foreign policy under Yoon - including on China - has been shifting more towards the United States.
During Yoon's state visit to the US last month, South Korea and the US agreed to improve public and private cooperation on leading-edge semiconductors, according to a joint statement.
"President Biden has said that no special support and considerations will be spared for Korean companies' investment and business activities in particular," Yoon said during the trip.
Seoul also forms part of the US-led Chip 4 alliance, along with Taiwan and Japan, to build a semiconductor supply network.
That shift has affected relations with China.
In an interview with South Korean broadcaster MBC on Friday, Beijing's ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming said relations between the two countries were at a low.
"The China-South Korea relationship is not good currently, with the risk of further deterioration," Xing said, according to a transcript released by the Chinese embassy.
Xing accused the US of building "blocs" and pushing decoupling with China.
"It is hoped that South Korea will uphold an objective and impartial position, adhere to the principles of a market economy, and actively work to ensure the stability and unimpeded flow of the China-South Korea industrial and supply chains," he said.