China’s sanctions against US-linked Hanwha units seen as warning gesture, analysts say

By Joyce Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) -China’s sanctions against five U.S.-linked affiliates of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean are seen as a warning gesture without immediate impact, and Beijing is unlikely to gain much by expanding them, analysts said on Wednesday.

The move, announced on Tuesday when the U.S. and China began charging additional port fees targeting each other’s vessels, comes ahead of an expected meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in late October to resolve the protracted trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

China’s commerce ministry banned transactions and cooperation with Hanwha Ocean’s U.S.-linked affiliates, citing security risks stemming from their involvement in the U.S. government’s “relevant investigative acti