China Pushes Japan To Lift Restrictions On Chip Exports
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has criticised Japan's semiconductor export controls, describing it as a "wrongdoing" that "seriously violated" international economic and trade rules, according to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
The statement was made during Wang's discussions with Japanese Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in Detroit on 26 May.
In January, Japan, along with the Netherlands, agreed to match the US export controls, which restrict the sale of certain chipmaking tools to China. Japan has also implemented restrictions on the export of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to its neighbouring country.
The US imposed these restrictions last year with the aim of slowing down China's advancements in supercomputing, which could be used for the development of nuclear weapons systems and artificial intelligence.
Japan has not specifically targeted China in its statements regarding the export controls, stating that it is fulfilling its duty to contribute to international peace and stability.
However, the Chinese commerce ministry's statement on Monday expressed that China "is willing to work with Japan to promote practical cooperation in key economic and trade areas."
During the summit, Nishimura met with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and they agreed to deepen cooperation in the research and development of advanced chips and technologies, including quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
Wang also met with Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, where he criticised US economic and trade policies towards China, including the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which excludes China and aims to establish a US-centred alternative to Chinese influence.
Earlier this month, the United States, Japan, and other members of the Group of Seven (G7) advanced nations agreed to "de-risk" but not decouple from China, aiming to reduce their exposure to the second-largest economy in the world across various sectors, including chips and minerals.
