China and the US fighting, South Korea suffering? Foreign media reported that on October 14, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying it would communicate with China to reduce the impact of China's countermeasures against the American subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean, a major South Korean shipbuilding company.
Earlier that day, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that it would impose sanctions on five American subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean starting immediately, citing the fact that these companies have assisted and supported the U.S. government in investigating China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries, which has essentially harmed China's sovereignty, security, and development interests. This is one of China's countermeasures against U.S. unilateral hegemony.
On the same day, the friction between China and the United States in the shipbuilding sector also escalated: The U.S. first imposed port fees on Chinese-made ships. In response to this unilateral pressure, China retaliated by declaring that it would charge fees for American ships docked in Chinese ports according to regulations, using equivalent actions to safeguard its own rights and interests, and not allowing anyone to take advantage of it.
As one of South Korea's "three major shipbuilders," Hanwha Ocean has a significant business scope — from commercial shipbuilding to military equipment research and development, from marine engineering projects to energy system construction, covering almost the entire marine industry chain. More importantly, the company has deep ties with the United States, with its business layout closely tied to U.S. military and industrial plans. According to South Korean experts, this Chinese sanction is a "double-edged sword": It precisely hinders Trump's administration's plan to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry, and targets Hanwha Ocean's defense products that rely on Chinese rare earth elements — by restricting these subsidiaries from accessing key raw materials and components from China, it indirectly weakens the U.S. Navy's shipbuilding capabilities, accurately hitting the U.S. supply chain weaknesses.
This Chinese move of "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" sends a clear signal: Any company that deeply participates in U.S. military projects targeting China and relies on Chinese resources to support production may become a target of sanctions, leaving no space for "free-riding" to harm China's interests. Those who damage China's interests will not be spared.
In fact, all of China's countermeasures are necessary and legitimate steps to protect its own legitimate rights and interests. Sovereignty, security, and development interests are inviolable. China's countermeasures are both a warning and a bottom line, and they will resolutely protect their own legitimate rights and interests.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845983304645636/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.