With the trade war intensifying between Washington and Beijing,... the Chinese government has confirmed reports that it summoned global tech companies, including South Korea's Samsung Electronics, for talks.
Hong Yoo reports.
Amid the escalating trade war between the world's two biggest economies, global tech companies, including South Korea's Samsung Electronics and Microsoft from the U.S. are under pressure from Beijing not to join Washington's sanctions on Huawei.
The New York Times reported this week that Beijing summoned tech companies from South Korea, the U.S. and the UK this month to warn they may face consequences if they cooperate with the Trump administration's ban on supplying technology and parts to Chinese tech firms.
The meeting was held last week shortly after China's Commerce Ministry announced it is to release its own blacklist of so-called "unreliable foreign firms" in the near future.
At a press briefing on Monday, China's foreign ministry did not elaborate on the details but said a meeting between Chinese authorities and representatives of global firms is nothing out of the ordinary.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods if Chinese President Xi Jinping does not attend the G20 world leader's meeting in Osaka later this month.
In an interview with CNBC on Monday, President Trump called Xi an "incredible guy" and admitted he would be very surprised if his Chinese counterpart did not show up.
But when asked if extra tariffs would take effect immediately if the Chinese leader does not travel to Japan, Trump said "Yes".
The remarks came as the Trump administration had been repeatedly stating that the two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.
President Trump has put tariffs on 35 to 40 percent of Chinese imports into the U.S., but if talks fall apart, he says, the remaining 60 percent will also be hit with hefty tariffs.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.