An important financial newspaper in South Korea reported on Tuesday that, according to the anonymous experts of the industry, the Ministry of Commerce of China sent a letter to the Korean companies that export assets using minerals to users to users to users for us.
South Korea has dramatically increased His profile as a defense technology manufacturer and one of the most prolific manufacturers in the world of telecommunications and computer technology is similar. These industries depend largely on the minerals of the rare earth, a cluster of 17 common elements in the production of batteries, computers, cars and other high technology. China dominates the rare land industry both in production and mineral processing and has recently used this leverage to reduce its exports in response to the efforts of President Donald Trump to limit the Chinese economy of world dependence.
The Chinese government announced restrictions on exports of seven rare land minerals this month in response to the current rate with America. He report in it Daily economy On Tuesday, it indicates that Beijing is not limiting its response to the United States, but rather, tries to use their key industry control to force external countries to promote Chinese interests. It also follows the publication of a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Monday that threatened to punish the countries that negotiated businesses with Trump’s White House.
He Daily economy He cited “sources in the Korean transformer industry” and a source not identified in the chaotic The South Korean government states that the Chinese Ministry of Commerce communicated directly with unidentified companies that buy Chinese minerals of rare land, warning them that they do not sell products that continue those minerals to the US army.
“According to the sources of the Korean transformer industry on Tuesday, at least two or its transformers manufacturers have received official notices from the Ministry of Commerce of China,” said the Newpaper, “demanding that they stop exporting the footuration that contains that they contain military metraining contractors or the US army.”
“A Korean government official said that the Chinese Ministry of Commerce has sent the same letter to other local companies in the battery, exhibition sectors, electric, aerospace and medical devices,” he added, “which are based solely on the Chinese-Origen Chinese origin
According to reports, letters did not identify any specific condition not to attribute the warning, apart from some form of sanction.
The report is consistent with the content of the Declaration of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce published On Monday, warning countries that “appeased” of the United States “cannot bring peace, and commitment cannot be respected.”
“Seeing the so -called exemptions damaging the interests of others for temporary selfish interests is to see the skin of a tiger, which ultimately will be felt in Bothh ends and will damage others,” the statement is read partly.
“China expects all parties to resolve their economic and commercial differences with the United States through equal consultations,” he continued. “China believes that all parties must be on the side of equity and justice, on the side of historical correction, and defend international and commercial rules and the multilateral trade system on the issue of” reciprocal tariffs. “
South Korea is a prolific buyer or minerals of strange land China. According to the International Trade Association of Korea, almost 50 percent of the Minerals of the Rare of South Land originated In China in 2024, a significant decrease in previous years, but remains a formidable percentage of the total. Throughout the world, China is responsible for more than 90 percent of the processing of the strange land, an onerous part of the production that separates the minerals from the strange earth from mixed earth materials.
President Trump announced an increase in tariffs on almost all countries carried out by business with the United States on April 2, which calls “day of liberation.” Little of that, the president announced That every country, but China, was open to renegotiate trade agreements to improve the position of the United States on the subject, so tariffs would stop for 90 days – In all countries except China.
The Chinese government responded to that announcement by limiting exports of seven rare land minerals. Subsequently, Beijing redirected Washington’s pressure to other affected countries. Dictator Xi Jinping engaged In a tour of the countries of Southeast Asia last week, more prominent Vietnam and Cambodia, which initially faced tariffs up to almost 50 percent of the White House. There, XI gave a conference to regional leaders about the alleged dangers of tariffs and commercial policies aimed at protecting the national industry.
The threats reported to South Korean business leaders seem to be scheduled to affect the arrival of a South Korean delegation in Washington to renegotiate the commercial relationship with the United States. Finance Minister Choi Sang-Mok left From Seoul on Tuesday on a mission to meet with Treasury Secretary Scott Besent and build a new framework for US-Corean trade.
“I will return after opening the by for discussions about the resolution of the alliance between South Korea and the United States,” he told reporters before boarding the plane. The South Korean news agency, Yonhap, observed that South Korea is among the first countries to receive an audience with US leaders to renegotiate the commercial relationship.
President Donald Trump is not expected to attend negotiations, but made a duration of surprise between US and Japanese officials, shocking Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru.
“I’ve never seen a [U.S.] The president appears from the beginning [of negotiations like that]. I was far beyond my expectations, “Ishhiba commented on Monday.” President Trump prioritizes negotiations with Japan. A decision will be made through the president’s leadership. “
