Can Li Qiang cement Europe’s ‘de-risk not decouple’ strategy on China?
- The Chinese premier’s visit to Germany and France will be closely watched as he seeks to boost relations amid growing US pressure
- Analysts say a successful trip will show there is an alternative to the confrontational approach of recent years
Li’s visit to Berlin and Paris, which begins on Sunday, will be closely watched as he seeks to boost relations with two major European powers amid growing pressure from the United States.
After Germany’s early pivot towards diversifying supply chains and cutting reliance on China, Chancellor Olaf Scholz openly clarified his stance against decoupling in October, saying it was “the wrong answer”.
Scholz made his statement months before the EU adopted a similar economic strategy of de-risking while progressing partnerships with Beijing in areas of common interest, such as climate change.
Austin Strange, who teaches international relations at the University of Hong Kong, said the de-risking strategy would theoretically allow countries to more effectively identify and manage risks arising from international circumstances.
He said the strategy was intended to ensure stable supply chains as well as minimise opportunities for potentially adversarial economic coercion.