Founder and Chairman of Schiller Institute, a German think tank: "Removing risks" and "decoupling" from China are not in line with Germany's interests | Risks | Chairman
Berlin, August 17th (Xinhua) - Helga Zep Larush, founder and chairman of the Schiller Institute, a German think tank, recently stated in an interview with Xinhua that whether it is "de risk" or "decoupling" from China, it is not in Germany's own interests and will ultimately only cause harm to the German economy.
Larush stated that the term "de risk" is just a rhetorical game, and its core point is still "decoupling". "In fact, Germany does not face any risks from China. China is one of the most reliable trading and economic partners."
She said that Germany and China have close economic ties and intertwined interests. Economically speaking, "decoupling" and "removing risks" from China is equivalent to "suicide" behavior. "Decoupling from China will lead to the collapse of Germany's economy."
Larush said that some voices within Germany oppose strengthening cooperation with China, which is entirely driven by ideology. She gave an example that China has made significant contributions to poverty reduction in southern countries around the world, which has raised concerns among some forces who are attempting to use ideological labels to divide the world.
She emphasized that Germany should not be caught up in these rhetoric manipulations created by geopolitical intentions. Many German industrial associations have clearly warned that decoupling from China will bring disaster.
When it comes to the current economic situation in Germany, Larush said that Germany is facing problems such as high energy prices and corporate outflows, and the overall economy is facing a crisis of deindustrialization. The only option for Germany to overcome the current economic difficulties is to strengthen cooperation with China.
She said that conducting scientific and technological research and development cooperation with other countries is an effective way to improve economic productivity, and it is obvious that China should be Germany's partner in this regard. Biological science, digital technology, artificial intelligence, and other areas are all areas where the two countries can deepen cooperation.
She also suggested that Germany should cooperate more closely with China to jointly promote the development and prosperity of southern countries around the world.