▲ The State Department in Washington. (Yonhap)

US-China-Hanwha sanctions

State Dept. calls China's Hanwha sanctions 'irresponsible attempt' to undermine Korea-U.S. cooperation, vows to stand 'firmly' with Korea

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- A State Department spokesperson on Thursday criticized China's recent sanctions against five U.S. subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean as an "irresponsible" attempt to hurt shipbuilding cooperation between Korea and the United States, vowing to stand "firmly" with the Asian ally.

The spokesperson made the remarks in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency, after China's Commerce Ministry announced the sanctions on the subsidiaries of the Korean firm, seen as a key entity in Seoul's efforts to help the United States rebuild its shipbuilding industry.

"China's targeting of Hanwha is an irresponsible attempt to interfere with a private company's operations and undermine U.S.-ROK cooperation on revitalizing American shipbuilding and manufacturing," the spokesperson said. ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

"China's actions only reaffirm the importance of enhancing U.S. economic cooperation with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region and are the latest example in a long pattern of China's attempts to coerce Korea. We stand firmly with the Republic of Korea."

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