Seoul: South Korea and China discussed measures to reduce technical barriers to trade (TBTs), covering a wide range of products, including power banks and cosmetics, Seoul's standards agency said Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, during a virtual meeting with Chinese counterparts, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) under the trade ministry delivered South Korean businesses' concerns over Beijing's move to revise standards for power banks and lithium-ion batteries. The two sides also discussed ways to ease hurdles to South Korean exports of red ginseng, cosmetics, and medical devices.

TBTs, which include consumer safety standards, as well as energy and environmental requirements, are often used as non-tariff barriers to trade. South Korea and China have held regular TBT committee meetings under their bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) since 2015.

The standards agency noted in a release, "Recently, countries have increasingly imposed TBTs as they prioritize national interests and strengthen protectionist measures." To tackle these challenges, South Korea plans to proactively utilize government communication channels related to TBTs.