Lee Jae-yong Visits China for the First Time in 3 Years Since the Pandemic
Inspects MLCC Production Line at Samsung Electro-Mechanics Plant
Encourages Local Employees at Samsung Display and Affiliates
Attends Local Forum in China with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Others
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited China for the first time in three years. He inspected the local electronic components production plant and held a meeting with executives and employees of Samsung affiliates working in Tianjin. Following a meeting with Tianjin Party Secretary Chen Min'er, he also attended the China Development High-Level Forum, adding to his local activities.
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is inspecting the MLCC production plant during his visit to the Samsung Electro-Mechanics facility in Tianjin, China, on the 24th. / [Photo by Samsung Electronics]
Visit to Tianjin, the main base for automotive MLCC
Samsung Electronics announced that Chairman Lee visited the Samsung Electro-Mechanics site in Tianjin, China, on the 24th. On that day, he inspected the Samsung Electro-Mechanics Tianjin MLCC production line, which began operations in 2021, and encouraged the on-site workers.
The Samsung Electro-Mechanics Tianjin plant, along with the domestic Busan plant, is a major production base supplying IT and automotive MLCCs to the global market. Samsung Electro-Mechanics has been developing and producing MLCCs since 1988 and built the Tianjin MLCC Plant 2 in 2018 to respond to the automotive market.
MLCCs are key components that regulate current flow and prevent electromagnetic interference between parts to ensure stable operation of electronic circuits. They are used in most electronic products. Automotive MLCCs are installed in approximately 3,000 to 10,000 units in conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. The number installed in electric vehicles, whose demand has recently surged, reaches about 20,000 units.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics plans to develop Busan as an advanced MLCC specialized area leading core material research and development (R&D) and production for MLCCs. Tianjin will serve as the main production base for automotive MLCCs.
Chairman Lee visited the Samsung Electro-Mechanics Busan plant in 2020 and last year, inspecting the MLCC production site and ordering proactive responses to secure future markets such as automotive MLCCs. In 2020, he said, "The pace of change is accelerating," and urged, "Let's lead innovation at the forefront." He also emphasized, "We must not be complacent or afraid of change," and "Do not be intimidated by uncertainty; keep challenging continuously."
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is inspecting the MLCC production plant during his visit to the Samsung Electro-Mechanics facility in Tianjin, China, on the 24th. / [Photo by Samsung Electronics]
Meeting with Secretary Chen Min'er... Also attended China Development High-Level Forum
Chairman Lee's visit to China is the first in over three years since 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he had not been able to visit Chinese business sites until now. He previously visited the Samsung Electronics Xi'an semiconductor plant in Shanxi Province, China, in May 2020.
During this visit, Chairman Lee met with Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Samsung SDI expatriates and China branch heads in the Tianjin area to listen to their overseas work difficulties and encourage them. In Tianjin, there are not only Samsung Electro-Mechanics MLCC and camera module production plants but also Samsung Display's OLED module production plant for smartphones. Samsung SDI produces secondary batteries used in smart devices and electric vehicles here.
Chairman Lee also met with Secretary Chen Min'er. The meeting included Samsung officials such as Choi Joo-sun, President of Samsung Display; Jang Deok-hyun, President of Samsung Electro-Mechanics; and Yang Geol, President of Samsung Electronics China Strategy Cooperation Office, along with Tianjin city government officials.
From the 25th to the 27th, he also attended the China Development High-Level Forum held at Diaoyutai, Beijing. This forum is an external economic exchange platform hosted by the Development Research Center of the State Council, the Chinese administrative body, and organized by the China Development Research Foundation. This year, it was held offline for the first time in three years under the theme "Economic Recovery: Opportunities and Cooperation."
The forum was attended by over 100 global figures including Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer; Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm; as well as senior officials from China's central government departments, heads of state-owned enterprises and financial institutions, and renowned domestic and international scholars.
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