Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy Dukgeun Ahn of the Republic of Korea met China’s Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao on March 29 in Seoul on the occasion of the 13th Korea-Japan-China Economic and Trade Ministers’ Meeting (March 30, Seoul) to discuss measures for bilateral cooperation and trade issues in view of the changing global trade landscape. The bilateral meeting is a first since the last commerce ministerial talks held between the two countries in November 2023 in San Francisco. 

The two sides exchanged views on the global trade environment and agreed to continue their mutually beneficial cooperation through not only bilateral trade platforms, but also multilateral trade systems such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The two countries will also be making joint efforts toward their successful hosting of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week (AELW) in 2025 (Korea) and 2026 (China).

Moreover, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of Korea and the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM) plan to expand the scope of collaboration for the stabilization of the critical minerals supply chain and maintain communication and cooperation to resolve issues for businesses in each other’s markets. 

Furthermore, the two sides will continue to share supply chain measures and policies through bilateral director general-level channels like the supply chain hotline and export control dialogue, while also bolstering cooperation between MOTIE and other major local governments in China, including those in regions such as Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong, and Liaoning.