Berlin's move criticized as 'protectionism'

Beijing says China is partner, not rival, of Germany in dealing with challenges

Germany's assertive China strategy paper, which exaggerated differences and competition over consensus and collaboration, may cause a backlash, and the German side should comprehensively view China's development in an objective way, Beijing says.

Germany unveiled its first "Federal Government Strategy on China" on Thursday. In the paper, Germany referred to China as a "partner, competitor, systemic rival". Though the paper said Germany wants to continue to cooperate with China, it added that "derisking is urgently needed".

On Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing in Beijing that the Chinese side has noted the release of the document.

Given the current complex and turbulent international situation, Wang said it is hoped that the German side will comprehensively view China's development in an objective way and formulate its China policy in a rational and pragmatic manner.

The 64-page strategy paper said Germany wanted to ensure that economic cooperation with China "becomes fairer, more sustainable and more reciprocal".

"China is Germany's largest single trading partner, but whereas China's dependency on Europe is constantly declining, Germany's dependency on China has taken on greater significance in recent years," it said.

Wang said China believes that to engage in protectionism in the name of "de-risking and reducing dependence" will only create risks and the act of turning normal cooperation into security or political issues will ultimately backfire.

China's embassy in Germany on Thursday also responded to Germany's strategy paper, saying that bilateral cooperation between China and Germany in various fields such as economy and trade is mutually beneficial, pragmatic, and complementary.

"Many of the challenges and problems that Germany is currently facing are not caused by China. China is a partner, not a rival, of Germany in dealing with challenges," the embassy said in a statement on its website.

Germany has remained China's largest trading partner in Europe for 47 consecutive years since 1975, and China has continued to be Germany's largest trading partner for six consecutive years.

Ideological confrontation

"In recent years, we can feel that the ideological confrontation toward China is becoming more obvious. Values are playing a bigger role in economic and trade collaboration. Pan-politicization, pan-securitization thinking is on the rise. And these have stood in the way of pragmatic cooperation between China and Germany," He Zhigao, an associate researcher with the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.

China and Germany's economies are proven to be highly complementary in terms of market, capital, R&D, raw materials, and industrial chain. "Falling into an ideological confrontation trap will hurt both sides," He said.

"Germany now faces two major challenges. On the one hand, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused security anxiety in society. On the other hand, the US mentality of trying to control and weaken Europe is also blocking the country's development."

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has brought energy shortages, inflation, and downward economic pressure to Europe, while the United States stands intact an ocean away. The US mentality on what is happening in Europe is similar to that of its introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act, He said.

French President Emmanuel Macron had once said the IRA may solve the US' problems, but it will make Europe worse.

He said China can play a constructive role in helping Germany to tackle its problems.

"China can join hands with Germany to promote free trade and world multipolarization," He added.

Xing Yi in London and Mo Jingxi in Beijing contributed to this story.

yangran1@chinadaily.com.cn