BERLIN šC Germany on Thursday published its first and long-awaited China strategy, which was unflinching in its appraisal of Beijing¡¯s increasing assertiveness and ¡°unfair practices¡± but vague on policy measures to reduce critical dependencies.
The 64-page document comes amid a broader push in the West to reduce strategic dependence on China ¡ª labelled by policymakers as ¡°de-risking¡± ¡ª amid concerns about increasing Chinese hegemony in the Indo-Pacific and broader possible supply chain disruptions.
Germany though has at times been seen as a weak link in the Western approach to China given its strong business ties with Asia¡¯s rising superpower, which became the country¡¯s single biggest trade partner in 2016.
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