A social media account connected to China’s state broadcaster CCTV announced on Monday that China, Japan, and South Korea have decided to retaliate against U.S. tariffs together.
The remarks followed the three nations’ first economic meeting in five years on Sunday, which aimed to promote regional commerce as Asian export giants prepare for tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Yuyuan Tantian stated in a Weibo post that China is interested in buying chip products from South Korea and Japan and that Japan is looking to acquire raw materials for semiconductors from China.
As stated in the post, all three parties committed to enhancing supply chain collaboration and having further discussions about export regulations.
The trade ministers of the three nations decided to “closely cooperate for comprehensive and high-level” negotiations on a free trade agreement between China, Japan, and South Korea in order to advance “regional and global trade” during their meeting on Sunday, according to a statement issued following the meeting.
As Trump disrupts Washington’s commercial relationships, the ministers convened ahead of his expected announcement of further tariffs on Wednesday, which he refers to as “liberation day.”
Although they have been at odds over problems including territorial disputes and Japan’s leaking of effluent from the demolished Fukushima nuclear power facility, Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo remain important commercial partners of the United States.
