China's commerce ministry said ministerial level trade officials of South Korea and China met on the sidelines of an APEC(Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meeting in the U.S.  and discussed ensuring stable supply chains.

According to the ministry's official WeChat channel, Seoul's trade minister Ahn Duk-geun held bilateral talks with Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao on Friday on the margins of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Detroit.

The ministry said the two sides agreed to step up dialogue and cooperation in the area of semiconductor supply chains.

Minister Ahn reportedly said the importance of the two countries' trade relations have been growing in recent years and that close relationship played a key role in ensuring stable and smooth global supply chain operations.

He also said, according to the Chinese ministry, that Seoul hopes to further deepen trade and economic ties and expand overall cooperation with Beijing.

The Chinese official said the openness of his country's market offers new opportunities to countries including South Korea and expressed hope that the two sides expand cooperation in trade and investment, defend supply chain stability and elevate bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation to a new level.

The minister-level meeting attracts attention as it comes amid Beijing's protest of tightening security ties between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo.