The Korea Herald

소아쌤

S. Korean trade chief meets US, Chinese counterparts for enhanced ties

By Yonhap

Published : Aug. 25, 2023 - 10:05

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This shows Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun (R) shaking hands with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai ahead of their talks in Jaipur, India, on Aug. 24. (Yonhap) This shows Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun (R) shaking hands with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai ahead of their talks in Jaipur, India, on Aug. 24. (Yonhap)

South Korea's Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun has met with his US and Chinese counterparts to discuss ways to deepen trade and investment cooperation with the respective countries, his office said Friday.

During the meeting at Camp David last week, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring resilient supply chains, accelerating the clean energy transition and promoting sustainable economic growth and financial stability.

Ahn and Tai also agreed to boost cooperation on such pending issues as the Inflation Reduction Act and the progress of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

Fourteen IPEF member nations will gather in Bangkok next month for a new round of negotiations to set details of the platform, launched by US President Joe Biden in 2022 in a move to counter China's growing influence in the region.

Ahn held a separate meeting with Wang Shouwen, the deputy secretary of China's commerce ministry, and discussed ways to facilitate bilateral trade and investment through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and various other platforms.

They also vowed to continue consultations via high-level trade talks, the ministry said.

The meetings took place on the sidelines of the two-day Group of 20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting that began Thursday in the Indian city of Jaipur, which was attended by the trade chiefs of nine countries, including the United States, China and India.

Ahn also met with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, India and the United Arab Emirates for talks on ways to strengthen trade ties, the ministry said. (Yonhap)