South Korea, US, to Hold Trade Talks This Week, Seoul Says

 Shoppers walk with their bags at the Dongmyo Flea Market in Seoul on April 15, 2025. (AFP)
Shoppers walk with their bags at the Dongmyo Flea Market in Seoul on April 15, 2025. (AFP)
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South Korea, US, to Hold Trade Talks This Week, Seoul Says

 Shoppers walk with their bags at the Dongmyo Flea Market in Seoul on April 15, 2025. (AFP)
Shoppers walk with their bags at the Dongmyo Flea Market in Seoul on April 15, 2025. (AFP)

South Korea and the United States will hold trade consultations this week in Washington at the suggestion of the United States, Seoul's trade ministry said on Sunday.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun will meet with Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, the ministry said in a statement.

South Korea hopes to lower the 25% "reciprocal" tariff that President Donald Trump has announced for the country, which he has since paused along with high tariffs slapped on a string of countries.

Ahn will leave on Wednesday, the statement said. It did not specify the agenda or give other details.



China Slaps Anti-dumping Duties on Plastics from US, EU, Japan, Taiwan

 Motorists commute on a road in the Sanlitun business district in Beijing on May 14, 2025. (AFP)
Motorists commute on a road in the Sanlitun business district in Beijing on May 14, 2025. (AFP)
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China Slaps Anti-dumping Duties on Plastics from US, EU, Japan, Taiwan

 Motorists commute on a road in the Sanlitun business district in Beijing on May 14, 2025. (AFP)
Motorists commute on a road in the Sanlitun business district in Beijing on May 14, 2025. (AFP)

China on Sunday announced anti-dumping duties as high as 74.9% on imports of POM copolymers, a type of engineering plastic, from the United States, the European Union, Japan and Taiwan.

The commerce ministry's findings conclude a probe launched in May 2024, shortly after the US sharply increased tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, computer chips and other imports.

POM copolymers can partially replace metals such as copper and zinc and have various applications including in auto parts, electronics and medical equipment, the ministry has said.

In January the ministry said initial investigations had determined that dumping was taking place, and implemented preliminary anti-dumping measures in the form of a deposit starting from January 24.

According to Sunday's announcement, the highest anti-dumping rates of 74.9% were levied on imports from the United States, while European shipments will face 34.5% duties.

China slapped 35.5% duties on Japanese imports, except for Asahi Kasei Corp, which received a company-specific rate of 24.5%.

General duties of 32.6% were placed on imports from Taiwan, while Formosa Plastics received a 4% tariff and Polyplastics Taiwan 3.8%.

Hopes have risen that the US-China trade war is easing after the two sides said on Monday they had agreed to slash reciprocal tariffs in a 90-day truce, a deal that state mouthpiece the Global Times said on Friday should be extended.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group of nations warned of "fundamental challenges" facing the global trading system in a communique on Friday after a meeting in South Korea.