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Amid Micron ban, US working with allies to beat China’s ‘economic coercion’: commerce secretary

  • ‘We won’t tolerate it, nor do we think it will be successful,’ says Gina Raimondo as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting ends in Michigan
  • Meanwhile, Indo-Pacific Economic Framework reaches first-ever deal to build supply chains focused on strategic items including semiconductors

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US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo speaks at the closing news conference of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework ministerial meeting in Detroit, Michigan, on Saturday. Photo: AFP
Khushboo Razdanin Detroit
Washington is engaging with its allies around the world to surmount China’s recent ban of American semiconductor company Micron from its key infrastructure projects, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Saturday.
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“We see it as, plain and simple, economic coercion,” said Raimondo of the blacklisting as a ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) ended in Detroit, Michigan.

“We won’t tolerate it, nor do we think it will be successful.”

The US was “closely engaging with partners addressing this specific challenge and all challenges related to China’s non-market practices”, she added, when asked about concerns that Beijing was trying to drive a wedge between Washington and its allies by banning American firms while opening its market to their competitors in countries like South Korea.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has expressed Beijing’s willingness to work with Seoul to deepen bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Photo: DFAT via AP
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has expressed Beijing’s willingness to work with Seoul to deepen bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Photo: DFAT via AP
Beijing’s ban of Micron has been widely viewed as retaliation for the Biden administration’s export restrictions on certain cutting-edge semiconductors, meant to choke off China’s capabilities in strategic technology.
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