Politico | Coronavirus forces Europe to confront China dependency
- Mounting supply chain problems are fuelling arguments for greater independence from Beijing's manufacturing might
- Outbreak has already caused Chinese exports to plummet, falling by 17.2 per cent in January-February compared with a year ago
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Laurens Cerulus on politico.eu on March 9, 2020.
The global coronavirus outbreak is prompting Europe to concede that the time to break dependence on China has come.
Chinese manufacturers and suppliers have shut down factories and offices in an effort to contain the spread of the disease formally known as Covid-19, wreaking havoc on industries including the technology sector and pharmaceutical sector, which have intricate supply chains in the key global hub.
Already, the coronavirus has caused exports from China to plummet: exports fell by 17.2 per cent in January-February compared with a year ago, according to data updated over the weekend by Chinese authorities.
Even as the rate of infection inside China has fallen and shipping from the country's coast is creeping back, the disruption is prompting top European officials to call for a reckoning with the continent's dependency on China.