US urges South Korea to join forces in countering China’s shipbuilding dominance

[Shipping vessel in drydock undergoing repair]
Lim Weixiang - Zeitgeist Photos

The United States is urging South Korea to join forces in countering China’s dominance in shipbuilding through potential industry cooperation, a senior official from Seoul’s trade ministry said on Friday.

"The United States feels a sense of crisis that China's market share in the shipbuilding sector is growing and is tapping Korea as a strategic partner," Trade Policy Director Chang Sung-gil said at a forum hosted by a lawmaker, _Reuters_ reported.

The U.S. is asking Seoul to join measures to curb China in "other areas" as the "precondition" for bilateral cooperation in shipbuilding, he said, without elaborating.

He later clarified that he was referring to the shipbuilding sector as the potential area where the United States wants Seoul to join hands in terms of taking on China, the report added.

Additionally, the United States is asking Seoul to boost U.S. investments and purchases of U.S. energy and agriculture products in return for negotiating over reciprocal tariffs of 25%, he said, but added "there is a lot of political sensitivity in South Korea when it comes to expanding imports of agricultural products."

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