Potential Korea-US shipbuilding ties linked to Washington’s China strategy: official

The United States has made Korea's participation in its containment policy against China a prerequisite for bilateral cooperation in the shipbuilding sector, one of the key items in the two countries' ongoing trade negotiations, a Seoul official said Friday. "The shipbuilding industry is one of the most notable areas where the U.S. seeks cooperation with Korea in terms of checking China," Chang Sung-gil, director general for trade policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, said in a parliamentary forum on Seoul's negotiation strategy on tariff talks with the Donald Trump administration. "Washington views China's shipbuilding industry as a growing threat and is regarding Korea as a strategic partner to defend the American industry," he added. "The prerequisite for the shipbuilding cooperation is Korea's participation in Washington's efforts to contain China." Chang's remarks came as Seoul has been holding talks with the Trump administration on tariffs, non-tariff measures, industrial cooperation and other trade issues in a bid to get a full exemption or reductions in U.S. reciWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times