China announces new trade measure against Japan as Beijing moves closer to Seoul

President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during a ceremony of the MoU
between South Korea and China in Beijing [AP Photo]

China escalated its trade tensions with Japan yesterday by launching an investigation into imported dichlorosilane, a chemical gas used in making semiconductors, a day after it imposed curbs on the export of so-called dual-use goods that could be used by Japan’s military.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement that it had launched the investigation following an application from the domestic industry showing the price of dichlorosilane imported from Japan had decreased 31% between 2022 and 2024.

“The dumping of imported products from Japan has damaged the production and operation of our domestic industry,” the ministry said.

The measure comes a day after Beijing banned exports to Japan of dual-use goods that can have military applications.

Beijing has been showing mounting displeasure with Tokyo after new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested late last year that her nation’s military could intervene if China were to take action against Taiwan.

Tensions were stoked again on Tuesday when Japanese lawmaker Hei Seki, who last year was sanctioned by China for “spreading fallacies” about Taiwan and other disputed territories, visited Taiwan and called it an independent country. Hei, also known as Yo Kitano, has been banned from entering China. He told reporters that his arrival in Taiwan demonstrated the two are “different countries.”

“I came to Taiwan … to prove this point, and to tell the world that Taiwan is an independent country,” Seki said, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

“The nasty words of a petty villain like him are not worth commenting on,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning retorted when asked about Seki’s visit.

Fears of a rare earths curb

Masaaki Kanai, head of Asia Oceanian Affairs at Japan’s Foreign Ministry, urged China to scrap the trade curbs, saying a measure exclusively targeting Japan that deviates from international practice is unacceptable. Japan, however, has yet to announce any retaliatory measures.

As the two countries feuded, speculation rose that China might target rare earths exports to Japan, in a move similar to the rounds of critical minerals export restrictions it has imposed as part of its trade war with the United States.

China controls most of the global production of heavy rare earths, used for making powerful, heat-resistance magnets used in industries such as defense and electric vehicles.

While the Commerce Ministry did not mention any new rare earths curbs, the official newspaper China Daily quoted anonymous sources saying Beijing was considering tightening exports of certain rare earths to Japan. That report could not be independently confirmed.

South Korean ties contrast with Japan row

As Beijing spars with Tokyo, it has made a point of courting a different East Asian power — South Korea.

Yesterday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung wrapped up a four-day trip to China – his first since taking office in June. Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping oversaw the signing of cooperation agreements in areas such as technology, trade, transportation and environmental protection.

As if to illustrate a contrast with the China-Japan trade frictions, Lee joined two business events at which major South Korean and Chinese companies pledged to collaborate.

The two sides signed 24 export contracts worth a combined $44 million, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.

During Lee’s visit, Chinese media also reported that South Korea overtook Japan as the leading destination for outbound flights from China’s mainland over the New Year’s holiday.

China has been discouraging travel to Japan, saying Japanese leaders’ comments on Taiwan have created “significant risks to the personal safety and lives of Chinese citizens in Japan.” SIMINA MISTREANU, BEIJING, MDT/AP

Lee says he asked Xi to act as mediator on North Korea issues

[AP Photo]

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said yesterday he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to serve as a mediator to help resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis and ease animosities between the two Koreas.

Speaking with reporters traveling with him on the Shanghai leg of his China trip, Lee said he made the request when he met Xi for a summit in Beijing on Monday. Lee cited the Chinese president as replying that patience was needed on North Korean issues.

“We’re making efforts but all our channels (with North Korea) are completely blocked so we can’t communicate at all. I told him it would be good for China to play the role of a mediator for peace,” Lee said in televised comments. “President Xi appraised our efforts and said we need to be patient.”

China is North Korea’s biggest trading partner and major diplomatic backer. South Korea and the U.S. have repeatedly asked China to use its unique influence to persuade North Korea to resume long-dormant diplomacy or denuclearize. China has urged all parties involved in North Korean issues to exercise restraint, and in recent years repeatedly blocked the U.S. and others’ attempts to toughen sanctions on North Korea despite its weapons tests banned under U.N. resolutions.

North Korea has refused to engage in dialogue with South Korea and the U.S. and has taken steps to expand its nuclear arsenal since its leader Kim Jong Un’s high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019.

Since taking office last June, Lee’s liberal government has been pushing hard to reopen talks with North Korea, but Pyongyang has largely ignored Lee’s overture. In July, Kim’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, said the Lee government’s “blind trust” in South Korea’s alliance with the U.S. and hostility toward North Korea made it no different from its conservative predecessor.

Lee said Chinese Premier Li Qiang told him about the need to have patience as well during their separate meeting Tuesday.

“Roles of neighbors are necessary. We requested China to play such a role, and China said it will anyway make such efforts,” Lee said.

Lee said he told Chinese officials about his stated push to seek phased, gradual denuclearization steps by North Korea in return for giving it corresponding benefits. He said it’s important to freeze North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs first to prevent a further expansion of its nuclear arsenal and a potential proliferation of its nuclear weapons. He said China shared his view. MDT/AP