Tang Xiao: South Korea should avoid the "de -China" fans in foreign cooperation

At the end of June, when South Korean President Yin Xiyue sold his own nuclear power and military products at the NATO Summit, Cui Xiangmu, chief secretary of the Presidential Secretary's Secretary's Office, spoke at the media meeting, claiming that "the era of the economic prosperity of South Korea’ s export economy has ended. " Europe is a "alternative solution" in the Chinese market. In view of the close economic and trade investment relationship between China and South Korea, this remark was criticized by the mainstream economic community in Korea, and senior officials of Yin Xiyue's government also clarified.

19 Korean consumer goods companies participated in the second China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou on July 28, 2022.

After the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, the economic and trade connections between the two countries have continued to deepen, especially the proportion of import and export trade in China in South Korea has risen to the first place rapidly, playing an important role in promoting South Korea's economic growth. At the same time, in recent years, there are indeed some so -called reducing discussions on the dependence of China for the dependence of China. However, South Korean politicians have proposed that "economic de -Chinaization" is the first time in such special multilateral occasions at the NATO summit.

The reason is the so -called "economic security" logic. South Korea is a typical export -oriented economy, which relies on external markets and supply chains. According to statistics, the added value of South Korea ’s exports in 2020 contributed 23.1%of the GDP (GDP) of that year, which made it very sensitive to changes in the external economic environment. Earlier, South Korea ’s economic and trade frictions and Sino -US strategic competition made South Korea aware of the serious harm of“ economic weapons ”. The stack of geopolitical conflicts in the new crown epidemic caused South Korea to worsen the sense of insecurity of the country’ s economic fragility. Under the influence of economic pan -security concepts, the South Korean government has paid more attention to reducing dependence on a specific country, hoping to enhance its economic anti -risk capabilities through the market and supply diversification strategy.

The second is to maintain the increase in advantages in China. With the acceleration of China's industrial upgrading and the continuous improvement of science and technology, China -Korea economic and trade cooperation has gradually changed from the original vertical division of labor to vertical and horizontal division of labor. In the international market, the two countries have become more competitive in some Korean traditional advantage industries. Taking the battery industry as an example, according to the statistical analysis of the Korean National Economic High Federation, China's global market share of lithium batteries has increased from 38.4%in 2020 to 48.7%in 2021. From 34.7%to 30.4%. In addition, due to factors such as rising raw material prices, South Korea's trade with China in May to June this year is in a deficit, and South Korea has maintained a sharp increase in pressure on China ’s trade and technological advantages.

Third, deepening the science and technology of Western countries. The South Korean government attaches great importance to the development of high -end technology and emerging industries, and regards high -tech industries such as semiconductors, large -capacity batteries, and artificial intelligence as the core economic growth point in the future, and the United States and Europe master advanced technology in such industries. In order to seize the high point of technology system and enhance the competitiveness of the high -end industries in the country, South Korea believes that it is necessary to further move closer to the United States and Europe. Judging from a series of actions of South Korea since Yin Xiyue came to power, whether it is the establishment of the so -called "Korean and American Technology Alliance" or joining the "Indo -Pacific Economic Framework", or the first time South Korean leaders have participated in the NATO summit It has obviously tilted to the United States. South Korea ’s intention to enhance its own economic security and pursue more economic benefits is understandable, but it should also be seen that the economic and trade relations that China and South Korea can form water and milk blending have its necessity and necessity. It is by no means a subjective will and administrative orders that can be split.

On the one hand, the deep integration of China -Korea economic and trade relations is an inevitable result in accordance with the laws of market economy and international division of labor. Under the hard work and long -term operation of China and South Korea, the manufacturing industry of the two countries has long been embedded and difficult to divide. South Korea imported raw materials and parts from China, and then transferred back to China after subsequent deep processing. After processing and assembly in China, it was exported to countries around the world in the form of finished products. Taking the semiconductor industry as an example, according to the statistics of the Korean National Economic Man Federation, in 2020, South Korea ’s exports to China accounted for 43.2%of the total exports of Korean semiconductors, and imports from China accounted for 39.5%of the total imports of Korean semiconductors. This shows that the semiconductor industry of the two countries has long formed a close state of "you have me, I have you". The close influence of China -South Korea's close economic and trade relations is not easy to cut off by many factors such as the geographical location, manufacturing level, and economic policy of the two countries. It is not easy to cut it.

On the other hand, China and South Korea's economic and trade cooperation play an important role in promoting the economic development of the two countries. China has the world's most complete industrial chain, the largest consumer market and relatively superior production costs, and always adheres to the expansion of high levels of opening to the outside world, which can almost meet the production and sales of parts and components of Korean enterprises, expand factories, expand production capacity, expand the global market, All development needs such as shares are South Korea's most ideal imported source, exporting market countries, and investment target countries. South Korean semiconductor and automobile manufacturing have developed high -end industries, and have high investment in China. Its high -end components and intermediate products have played an important role in the development of China's high -end manufacturing industry. From the data point of view, the bilateral trade volume of China and South Korea in 2021 has exceeded US $ 360 billion, and the cumulative two -way investment volume has accumulated more than 100 billion US dollars, which has fully reflected the mutual benefit of bilateral cooperation.

The good China -Korea economic and trade cooperation relationship benefits the two parties, and it also has an inexhaustible driving force for regional prosperity.The South Korean government seeks the development of the country's economic development. It should start from the actual situation of the country, adhere to rational thinking and strategic autonomy, and avoid the traps of the words of elaborate woven from individual countries.China and South Korea should take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as the new starting point, continue to meet each other, carefully care for the hard -earned economic and trade investment cooperation results, benefit the people of the two countries, and promote regional security and prosperity.The author is a research internship at the Asia Pacific Research Institute of China International Institute

This article is published in "World Knowledge", No. 16, 2022

Editor in charge: Yinyin

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