Hynix Semiconductor Inc expressed disappointment yesterday that Japan has decided to maintain punitive tariffs on its computer memory chips, saying it would ask the South Korean government to consider retaliatory measures.
Hynix, the world’s second-largest manufacturer of dynamic random access memory chips, called Japan’s decision “very regrettable.”
Japan said on Aug. 22 that, pending Cabinet approval, it would reduce its punitive tariff imposed on Hynix DRAM chips in 2006 from 27.2 percent to 9.1 percent, after the WTO ordered the duty be recalculated by today.
Japan’s Cabinet approved the reduction last week. Hynix said the decision called for the tariffs to stay in place until the end of 2010.
In a statement, Hynix said it “will explore all possible countermeasures in cooperation with the South Korean government to make the Japanese government completely revoke the punitive tariffs at an early date.”
Hynix also said it “will ask the South Korean government to take immediate countermeasures, including the consideration of retaliatory trade measures against Japanese products,” and to set up a panel under WTO dispute settlement procedures.
Kang Nam-hoon, a spokesman of South Korea’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy, was not available for comment yesterday.
Since 2003, the US, the EU and Japan have all imposed duties on Hynix DRAM chips because of what they called unfair South Korean government support for the company when it twice nearly collapsed under debt in 2001 and 2002.
South Korea fought the tariffs at the WTO. The Geneva, Switzerland-based global trade arbiter determined that some of Seoul’s financial support for Hynix was illegal. The global body upheld Washington’s 44.71 percent tariff, but called for the EU and Japan to recalculate theirs.
The EU, which levied its tariffs on Hynix in 2003, said in April it was repealing duties of more than 30 percent effective to the end of last year.
The US Commerce Department said earlier this month that it has “preliminarily” decided to end its duties against Hynix.
DRAM chips are mostly used in personal computers.
Icheon-based Hynix in July reported a loss in the quarter ended June 30, its third straight quarter of red ink, largely because of plunging chip prices.
MORE VISITORS: The Tourism Administration said that it is seeing positive prospects in its efforts to expand the tourism market in North America and Europe Taiwan has been ranked as the cheapest place in the world to travel to this year, based on a list recommended by NerdWallet. The San Francisco-based personal finance company said that Taiwan topped the list of 16 nations it chose for budget travelers because US tourists do not need visas and travelers can easily have a good meal for less than US$10. A bus ride in Taipei costs just under US$0.50, while subway rides start at US$0.60, the firm said, adding that public transportation in Taiwan is easy to navigate. The firm also called Taiwan a “food lover’s paradise,” citing inexpensive breakfast stalls
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
CROSS-STRAIT: The vast majority of Taiwanese support maintaining the ‘status quo,’ while concern is rising about Beijing’s influence operations More than eight out of 10 Taiwanese reject Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework for cross-strait relations, according to a survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday. The MAC’s latest quarterly survey found that 84.4 percent of respondents opposed Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula for handling cross-strait relations — a figure consistent with past polling. Over the past three years, opposition to the framework has remained high, ranging from a low of 83.6 percent in April 2023 to a peak of 89.6 percent in April last year. In the most recent poll, 82.5 percent also rejected China’s
PLUGGING HOLES: The amendments would bring the legislation in line with systems found in other countries such as Japan and the US, Legislator Chen Kuan-ting said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) has proposed amending national security legislation amid a spate of espionage cases. Potential gaps in security vetting procedures for personnel with access to sensitive information prompted him to propose the amendments, which would introduce changes to Article 14 of the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法), Chen said yesterday. The proposal, which aims to enhance interagency vetting procedures and reduce the risk of classified information leaks, would establish a comprehensive security clearance system in Taiwan, he said. The amendment would require character and loyalty checks for civil servants and intelligence personnel prior to
RSS