The Chinese government announced sanctions on five U.S. subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean on the 14th. As the U.S.-China trade war reignites ahead of the Gyeongju Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, the move marks Beijing’s retaliatory measure against Washington, with a South Korean company bearing the brunt of the damage.
On the same day, China’s Ministry of Commerce stated that, under the “Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law,” it added five U.S. subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean to its sanctions list, prohibiting these entities from engaging in transactions or cooperation with Chinese organizations or individuals. The sanctioned entities include Hanwha Shipping, the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—which President Lee Jae-myung visited in August—the Hanwha Ocean USA International, Hanwha Shipping Holdings, and HS USA Holdings.
Regarding the background of the sanctions, Beijing explained that the measures were a counterattack against the U.S. Section 301 investigation targeting China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. It added, “The U.S. subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean have cooperated with and supported the U.S. government’s investigation targeting China, and we strongly protest and firmly oppose this.”
Earlier, the U.S. applied its final Section 301 measures, announced in April, to impose port service fees starting on the 14th on ships owned or operated by Chinese companies and Chinese-flagged vessels. Section 301, which authorizes retaliation against “unfair trade practices,” has long been used by the U.S. as a basis for broad retaliatory actions against trading partners.
China’s sanctions are likely to hinder South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation. Since Hanwha’s acquisition of the Philly Shipyard last year, the company has emerged as a central player in the “MAGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again)” project, a symbol of bilateral shipbuilding collaboration.
Since the MAGA project’s launch, Chinese state-run media have repeatedly criticized it. The state-affiliated Global Times openly expressed wariness in August, stating, “As the U.S. focuses on revitalizing its shipbuilding industry, it seems increasingly eager to integrate South Korea and Japan into its defense industry.”