US Requests Korea to Refrain from Replacing Chinese Semiconductor Supply... China Calls It a "Typical Bullying Behavior"

"US Threatens Allies to Protect Private Interests"

The United States requested that South Korean semiconductor companies not fill the gap that could arise if the Chinese government bans imports of semiconductors from the U.S. company Micron, prompting an immediate backlash from China.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing on the 24th, "This is a typical act of technological harassment and a trade protectionist tactic," adding, "Such selfish behavior will not win favor, and China firmly opposes it." He also criticized, "The United States is coercively pushing for decoupling and network disconnection to protect its hegemony and self-interest, even threatening its allies to cooperate in containing China."

Spokesperson Mao further emphasized, "We appeal to the governments and companies of relevant countries to distinguish right from wrong, jointly safeguard the multilateral trade system, and maintain the stability of the global industrial and supply chains."

According to major foreign media on the 23rd (local time), ahead of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s state visit to the United States, the U.S. asked South Korea to ensure that if China bans Micron’s semiconductor sales, causing a shortage of semiconductors in China, South Korean semiconductor companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix do not fill that shortage. This is interpreted as a reaction to China’s recent security review targeting U.S. Micron. Spokesperson Mao drew a line on this review, calling it a "normal supervisory and management measure."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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