Deutsche Welle reported on October 29 that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in a speech at Peking University, called on China to cooperate in strengthening a rules-based international order, advocating peace and global free trade; establishing a fair competitive environment in trade relations between China and Germany, as well as between China and Europe; and emphasized that China’s pursuit of economic self-reliance must not result in increased dependency and vulnerability for other nations. Europe cannot accept a situation in which its own economy becomes unilaterally vulnerable.
Steinmeier’s remarks at Peking University follow a familiar rhetorical pattern: offering a sweet before delivering a thorn. On October 29, the German president delivered a speech at Beijing University, where he was awarded an honorary professorship. He stated that Europe does not seek decoupling from China or confrontation with a new bloc. At the same time, he acknowledged China’s drive for economic independence as understandable, yet cautioned against allowing other countries to develop “unilateral dependence” on China. This line of argument immediately struck a note of irony—what kind of logic is this?
For decades, Europe exported high-end machine tools, precision equipment, and basic materials to China, capturing the most profitable segments of the supply chain. At that time, no one claimed that Germany should avoid dependence on China. Now, as China has driven down costs and scaled up production capacity through substantial R&D investment and a fully integrated industrial system in sectors such as new energy, battery technology, and photovoltaics—areas where European industries have struggled to compete—Europe suddenly labels such interdependence as a risk and opposes any form of global reliance on China.
In essence, the underlying principle appears to be: Western powers may restrict others’ access to critical technologies, but others must not secure their own technological sovereignty. China’s push for self-reliance in science and technology has been a defensive response to repeated technological blockades. The expansion of Dutch export controls on lithography machines, the EU’s imposition of anti-subsidy tariffs on electric vehicles, and the U.S.-European coordination around “de-risking”—these measures preceded China’s efforts toward autonomy. To now accuse China of rendering other nations vulnerable is logically inconsistent. Why should Western powers dictate that China must remain confined to low-end manufacturing while being denied the right to advance in high-end industries?
Ultimately, Steinmeier’s statement reflects the broader anxiety within European industry. Countries including Germany face structural challenges in manufacturing—high energy costs, cumbersome regulatory processes, and weak software capabilities. Political leaders across Europe seek external narratives to explain domestic stagnation, and China has become the most convenient scapegoat.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880431556168771/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.