Beijing calls on Tokyo and Seoul to ease trade dispute through dialogue

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urges neighbouring countries to deal with one another ‘with sincerity and goodwill’ as their rift deepens

It comes after Japan says it will remove South Korea from its ‘white list’ of trusted trading partners

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South Korean protesters hold placards during a rally outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul on Friday. Japan will remove South Korea from its list of trusted trade partners. Photo: AP

Published: 7:45pm, 2 Aug 2019Updated: 11:57pm, 2 Aug 2019

Beijing on Friday urged Tokyo and Seoul to ease their dispute through dialogue, after Japan said it would remove South Korea from its list of trusted trade partners.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Asean regional summit in Bangkok, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the neighbouring countries should deal with one another “with sincerity and goodwill”. He added that the trade row had been discussed at the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting.

Wang also said Beijing hoped the two countries could “show goodwill in a forward-looking manner, in an objective and fair manner, so as to properly handle the existing differences”. It was the first time Wang had given Beijing’s position on the deepening rift between Tokyo and Seoul.

It came after Japan’s cabinet on Friday decided to remove South Korea from its “white list” of countries with preferential trade status.

South Korea was added to the list of 27 trusted trading partners in 2004 and was the only Asian country with the preferential status. From August 28, it will be subject to new trade restrictions, meaning Japanese firms will need government approval to export a range of items – covering 1,194 parts and materials – to South Korea.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing hoped the two countries could “show goodwill in a forward-looking manner … to properly handle the existing differences”. Photo: EPA-EFE