China\u2019s rapid technological gains and aggressive pricing are making it increasingly difficult for South Korean firms to find profitable areas of industrial synergy with their Chinese counterparts, according to experts.<\/p>\n
Speakers at a recent forum in Beijing urged firms from both countries to pivot towards building more interdependent ecosystems in high-growth sectors such as batteries and artificial intelligence, while also calling for the advancement of negotiations towards an upgraded free-trade agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndustries in each country must re-evaluate their core strengths to build a synergistic, interdependent global supply chain,\u201d Seo Bong-kyo, head of Samsung Global Research China, said on Thursday during a seminar co-hosted by Renmin University and the South Korean embassy.<\/p>\n
Seo argued that both nations should look beyond conventional rivalry, according to an event summary published by the Chinese organiser.<\/p>\n
\u201cChina\u2019s push to expand domestic demand offers a new opening for South Korean firms to enter high-value markets,\u201d he was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
Economic ties between Beijing and Seoul \u2013 a key US ally in East Asia \u2013 have slowly recovered from a protracted downturn following the 2017 deployment of an American anti-ballistic missile defence system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD).<\/p>\n