Lamon also “conveys export control concerns” during his visit to China
China’s Wang Wentao “Discussing U.S. Investment Restrictions, etc.”
Micron Appoints Head of Government Affairs in China
from SK… Prospects for improving relations with China
▲ US Commerce Secretary Gina Lamondo (first right) holds talks with Chinese Commerce Secretary Wang Wentao (first left) at the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing on the 28th, the second day of her visit to China. Reuters Yonhap News The meeting on the 28th between US Commerce Secretary Gina Lamondo and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, who are visiting China, agreed to reduce unnecessary conflicts between the US and China in the field of general trade, but narrowed the gap on key issues such as cutting-edge semiconductors and export control of rare minerals. It appears to have been left as is.
At the meeting, the two sides agreed to set up a vice-ministerial-level working group to hold meetings twice a year as a dialogue channel to discuss trade issues on a regular basis. In addition, the first meeting on export control information exchange was held at the Ministry of Commerce of China on the 29th with the deputy ministers of the two countries attending.
Lamondo said the exchange of export control information was not a policy dialogue and was “a dialogue to increase transparency and to make clear what we are doing in relation to export control enforcement.”
He also stressed during his meeting with Wang that “export controls are set very narrowly, targeting only those technologies that have clear implications for national security and human rights,” the US Commerce Department reported. In addition, it added that it conveyed various concerns from the United States, including actions against US semiconductor manufacturers Intel and Micron, which were targeted by China.
After the meeting on the 28th, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said, “Director Wang Wentao talked about the US Trade Act, Article 301 (Super 301), semiconductor policy, investment restrictions, and sanctions against Chinese companies.”
The meeting between the U.S. and China’s commerce ministers seems to have focused on conflict management to reduce unnecessary clashes between the two countries amidst the poor economic situation in China. Minister Lamondo emphasized several times before his visit to China that “there is no compromise or negotiation on national security,” which is interpreted as a remark conscious of the Republican hawks who criticize the Joe Biden administration for taking a more aggressive stance in its trade policy with China. .
Meanwhile, US semiconductor company Micron appointed a person from SK as the head of the Chinese government affairs and started to improve relations with Beijing. It has been three months since he became the target of Chinese sanctions, and it is interpreted as an extension of the 4.3 billion yuan (about 770 billion won) investment plan to expand the Xian semiconductor packaging plant that was disclosed in June.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 29th, “On the 28th, Micron appointed Jeff Lee (Li Xinming), who has more than 30 years of experience in public office and business, as the head of the Chinese government affairs.” After Li Xin-Ming worked for the Chinese government, he served as the senior vice president of SK China. SCMP analyzed, “The announcement of Lee’s appointment came amid growing expectations that Secretary Lamondo’s visit to China will ease tensions between the US and China over technology and trade.”
In the midst of this, President Biden will visit India and Vietnam on the 7th and 10th of next month. President Biden’s visit to the two countries is interpreted as one of the strategies to check China by strengthening relations with Southeast Asian countries following the Korea-US-Japan summit. Previously, Politico and others reported that President Biden would hold a summit with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi on the 10th of next month and sign a strategic partnership agreement.
Correspondent Lee Jae-yeon in Washington and Ryu Ji-young in Beijing
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2023-08-29 17:07:57