"South Korea Must Clarify Position on Hong Kong Security Law, Xinjiang Uyghur, and South China Sea Issues"

Samsung and SK Halt Huawei Supplies... Need to Prepare for Non-Economic Areas Too
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An F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet belonging to the U.S. Navy lands on the flight deck of the Nimitz aircraft carrier navigating the South China Sea on July 6 (local time). (Image source=AP Yonhap News Agency·U.S. Navy)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The conflict between the U.S. and China is spreading beyond trade and economic issues to non-economic areas such as human rights, values, systems, and military matters, prompting calls for South Korea to clearly state its position on the Xinjiang Uyghur issue and the South China Sea dispute.

The Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), a government-affiliated research institute, said this in a report titled "Major G7 Countries' China Policy Responses and Implications on Key U.S.-China Disputes," released on the 10th.

The U.S. and China are clashing on multiple fronts including ▲COVID-19 ▲the Hong Kong National Security Law ▲Xinjiang Uyghur issue ▲South China Sea ▲Huawei 5G equipment ▲strengthened investment screening ▲cybersecurity.

With Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix also deciding to halt supplies to China's Huawei, it is a reality that South Korea cannot avoid being caught in the "eye of the storm."

KIEP diagnosed that the likelihood of U.S.-China clashes in non-economic areas will increase going forward. It reported that China's isolation has deepened since the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law.

Yeon Won-ho, a senior researcher at KIEP, said, "While the global economy is struggling due to the spread of COVID-19, economic sanctions including financial sanctions are expected to target a small number of individuals and specific companies for the time being. Rather, the U.S.-China conflict is more likely to occur in non-economic areas such as human rights, values, systems, and military matters in the future."

The authoritarian stance of the Chinese government demonstrated in the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the expansion of influence and regime propaganda through mask and vaccine diplomacy, and the resulting international concerns and distrust are dealing a critical blow to China.

Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan?six G7 countries besides the U.S.?have implemented export controls on China since July. They judged that if the Communist Party applies the Hong Kong National Security Law, there is a high risk that sensitive advanced technologies could be leaked to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) or the Ministry of State Security (MSS).

The exposure of the incident where about one million Uyghurs were detained without trial in so-called "voluntary re-education facilities" has also been a blow to China.

The six countries submitted an open letter to the 41st UN Human Rights Council, demanding that China respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion and belief, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and across China.

Even Russia, Serbia, Bangladesh, and Algeria, which supported China's Xinjiang Uyghur policies until July last year, did not officially express support in June this year.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling in July 2016 that China's nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea has no legal basis is also negative news for China.

The UK plans to station one of its two aircraft carriers in the South China Sea for operations with Australia. Japan has conducted military exercises with the U.S. in the South China Sea annually since 2017.

Senior researcher Yeon advised, "In preparation for the intensification of U.S.-China conflicts that may arise in non-economic areas, it is time for South Korea to clarify its position on the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Xinjiang Uyghur human rights issue, and the South China Sea dispute."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.