German expert warns against "de-risking" or "decoupling" from China

The 5 millionth vehicle of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA) is seen in Tiexi District of Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, in February of 2023. (BBA/Handout via Xinhua)

"There is no risk coming from China. China is one of the most reliable trade partners and economic partners," said Helga Zepp-LaRouche.

BERLIN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- "It is obviously very much against the interest of Germany to decouple or de-risk from China," said Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder and chairperson of the German think tank Schiller Institute, in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua.

She noted that the word "de-risking" is just a semantic deception, which goes in the direction of decoupling. "There is no risk coming from China. China is one of the most reliable trade partners and economic partners," she said.

This photo taken on April 13, 2023 shows the booth of DB Schenker from Germany at the third China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

"Economically, it's completely suicidal because the German economy and the Chinese economy are so intertwined," Zepp-LaRouche said, stressing that decoupling with China would cause the collapse of the German economy.

Noting China's successful approach toward reducing poverty domestically and its cooperation with the Global South through the Belt and Road Initiative, she said behind those who are against cooperation with China are ideological reasons.

Leaders of the German industrial associations have strongly warned against the wording of "de-risking" or "decoupling" from China, she said, adding that the industries should be "put in the driver's seat" because they understand the interests of Germany much better than others.

Noting that the German economy is undergoing serious difficulties including the danger of de-industrialization, she stressed that Germany should focus more efforts on science and technology cooperation with other countries and one of the obvious partners is China.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivers a speech while attending the closing ceremony of the 11th China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Germany, June 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

More cooperation in future-oriented science and technology between the two countries would lead to an increase in the economic productivity of both, she stressed.