China, Japan And South Korea have agreed to promote “an environment of trade And free and fair investment»In the meeting held a Seul by their respective trade ministersin the middle of the growing global economic tensions start from American duties of the President Donald Trump. A unpublished axisin fact obliged from US protectionismemerged from three -way vertexthe first in five years dedicated to economic issues, which participated in the ministers Wang Wentao, Yoji Muto, Ahn Duk Geun who spent themselves to solicit “a fair global playing field to promote” a “non -discriminatory, transparent, inclusive and predictable climate”, based on the joint declaration.
«While the global situation becomes increasingly unpredictable and considerably divided, we reiterated that it is very important to maintain and strengthen theInternational economic order based on rules, “said Muto during a press conference. Ahn, for his part, said that the three countries must replicate “in a joint” way to shared global challenges in the face of “the current economic and commercial environment characterized by a growing fragmentation».
The move ofTrump Administration to impose import rates it was not explicitly raised in the trilateral meeting, but discussed in bilateral meetings separated from the participants. THE duties Tycoon against China And Canada quickly caused retaliation, while Japan And South Korea – who have the USA as strategic allies on safety and defense – they limited themselves to expressing worry for tariff impacts especially in the sector ofcar. Not to mention the American duties arriving in early April.
THE’export from the four wheels of Seoul is intended for the USA, while the Risingwhich boasts the world leader of the car Toyotarisks a room also in many other sectors, fromsteel to the microchip. Of the 21,300 billion yen (145 billion dollars) of exports Japanese direct from 2024 to the United Statescars and other vehicles represented about a third.
The Three Asian economieswhich are worth about 25% of Global GDP and 21% of world trade By value, they even urged a accelerated «De Negotiations for a Trilateral Full Free Trade Agreement».
Beijing, Tokyo And Seul I am Washington primary commercial partners and, despite having disagreed with each other on important events such as i territorial disputes and of nature historicalfound in the Trump’s hostile moves the push necessary to find and discuss the commercial dossier. How much will be able to go is all to be verified.
From the beginning of the interviews In 2012, they were not accomplished substantial progress towards a Trilateral free trade (FTA) agreement. The RCEPwhich entered into force in 2022 and of which the three countries are part, is a Commercial framework agreement between 15 Nations of Asia-Pacific aimed at lowering the commercial barriers.
THE’Auspicious of Japan and South Korea It is also to be able to maintain, regardless of the “internal political circumstances in both countries”, the exchanges and the cooperation excellent level of the last two years. The Japanese minister Mute remarked that Tokyo And Seul face many Common challenges like the significant dependence on abroad forenergy he is critical minerals.
Meanwhile, the Usa-Indydia negotiation on trade he did poor progress. After the four days of meetings between the delegation of Washington visiting New Delhi and representatives of the Indian governmentthe parties found a generic “substantial convergence»On the steps to be undertaken for theFree Multi -Settower Commerce Agreement to be signed by autumn. No clarity and not even a quote on Rates and duties announced byTrump Administrationwhich should hit the Indian products from April 2nd.