German Foreign Minister: "Europe Must Reduce Dependence on China"

"Being too closely tied to China is risky"
Emphasizing 'Derisking' rather than 'Decoupling'

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated on the 17th (local time) that Europe needs to reduce its dependence on China.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV on the same day, Minister Baerbock said, "Being too closely tied to (China) can put ourselves at risk."

He emphasized, "It is necessary to reduce dependence on countries like Russia, which invaded Ukraine," adding, "The same applies to China now."

This statement came as the European Union (EU) recently launched an investigation into the Chinese government's subsidy practices for Chinese-made electric vehicles. It is interpreted as a move to strengthen the EU-level investigation. Notably, despite the fact that major German automakers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, which have a high market share in China, could become the primary targets of China's trade retaliation due to this EU subsidy investigation, Baerbock highlighted the need to maintain 'distance' from China, drawing attention.

Minister Baerbock said, "China is a partner on climate issues and a competitor in new technologies," adding, "We are systematic competitors and must be able to protect our own vulnerabilities." He continued, "We must not be naive and must be able to defend ourselves."

However, he emphasized that 'de-risking' the relationship with China is necessary and that it should not lead to 'decoupling.'

Baerbock stated, "Separation cannot occur in an interconnected world," and "Europe should pursue risk reduction with China and must not seek separation."

Meanwhile, the EU recently launched an investigation into the subsidy practices of Chinese electric vehicle companies as they rapidly increased their market share within the EU based on the EU's low tariffs. The EU plans to support European automakers by raising tariffs on Chinese imports in line with China's electric vehicle subsidy policies. Currently, the tariff imposed by the EU on Chinese imports is 10%, which is much lower than the tariff level imposed by the United States on Chinese vehicles (27.5%).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.