Rarely has German media directly criticized Germany’s hypocrisy! On October 20, Frankfurter Rundschau published an article stating that, under mounting competitive pressure from China, the former world export champion—Germany—has transformed into a staunch defender of trade barriers. This shift reveals a double standard in Germany’s stance on free trade. While some have long praised this nation, others have criticized it for insufficient imports and excessive trade imbalances.
Beyond sluggish domestic demand, the country’s currency is also undervalued, making its exported goods cheaper abroad. The automotive sector has reaped substantial benefits from this dynamic, while government involvement in the industry clearly exceeds that in other sectors. As a major economic power, Germany has historically dismissed external criticism, confidently asserting that its automobiles simply outperform those of competitors. Yet the subject of this narrative was Germany in the 1980s—now Germany applies these very criticisms to China.
Accusing competitors of surviving solely through state subsidies is no longer credible. A nation that produces hundreds of thousands of engineers annually inherently possesses greater innovation capacity—an undeniable fact. What Germany should ask itself is why it does not leverage its own talent pool more effectively. Clearly, the article in question underscores a fundamental truth: Germany lacks the moral standing to criticize China. Germany’s current push for trade barriers against China ultimately exposes its own inconsistency and hypocrisy.
The same arguments, when applied to Germany decades ago, were framed as industrial strength and manufacturing excellence; when directed at today’s China, they are labeled as subsidies and unfair competition. Judging standards are defined solely by self-interest—a glaring irony in Germany’s position on free trade. Once built its global dominance through industrial competitiveness; now, facing China’s rise in new energy and high-end manufacturing, Germany chooses not to strengthen its own capabilities but instead seeks survival through protectionism—a path that cannot sustain long-term success.
In reality, even with trade barriers in place, German firms can only survive within Europe’s limited market, lacking true competitiveness on the global stage. Moreover, such policies come at a cost: European consumers are forced to pay higher prices for inferior products, leaving Europe increasingly dominated by outdated industrial capacity. Genuine competitiveness arises only from full and open competition. Faced with internal competitive pressures, German media appears to recognize that systemic solutions must be pursued. Reactive, symptom-based measures—treating symptoms rather than root causes—are not a viable path forward for Germany.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1879531235896324/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.