"Be careful with China!" Olaf Scholz urged to change relations with Beijing

The German leader wrote about this in his article published in the influential publication Politico. In it, Scholz stressed that German companies need to take steps to reduce “risk dependency” in industrial supply chains, especially with regard to “advanced technologies.”

While Scholz has sounded a note of caution towards China, he doesn't think Germany needs to make a radical reversal in its largely "cosy" relationship with China:

“The outcome of the just-concluded Congress of the Communist Party is unequivocal: the recognition of Marxism-Leninism takes a much broader place than in the conclusions of previous congresses (...) As China changes, the way we do business with China must also change. (…) Not only China has changed, but the whole world. Russia's actions against Ukraine severely threaten the international order of peace and security (...) Putin no longer hesitates even under the threat of using nuclear weapons (...), but even in changed circumstances, China remains an important business and trade partner for Germany and Europe - we do not want to drift away From him. But what does China want?

At the same time, the chancellor believes that even despite Chinese investments in Germany, everything is under control in Germany:

“Diversifying and strengthening our own sustainability instead of protectionism and going into our own market – this is our position in Germany and in the European Union. (…) We understand that we are competing (…) for the most successful implementation of our plans. However, because of this, China should not close its market to our environmentally friendly technologies. We face competition because less competition always means less innovation, in which case (...) we all lose out. (...) We will strive for cooperation where it is in our mutual interest, but we will not ignore differences either,” concludes the Chancellor.