Germany can limit the export of chemicals to China as a way of putting pressure on Beijing and reducing the Chinese advance in the semiconductor market.
According to sources heard by Bloomberg, the measure has been studied in Berlin and is at an early stage, but the German government already knows that, if approved, the action could stress the country’s trade ties with China.
An argument often used by supporters of the measure is that Germany needs to reduce its economic dependence on the Chinese market. The country’s economy minister, Robert Habeck, had already defended this type of sanction to prevent the loss of technological advantage.
Export controls regarding technology must be constantly checked, constantly expanded and constantly updated.
In addition to putting a brake on the Chinese advance, the German sanction also seeks to make chipmakers produce again within the European Union. In other words, we are talking about a measure considered protectionist.
Olaf Scholz’s government has been working with European partners to revive the bloc’s high-tech industry, and the sanctions that the Netherlands was forced to impose against China may have served as an inspiration.
Commenting on the matter, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mao Ning, condemned the initiative.
It is not constructive for some countries to impose export controls on China in the name of reducing an alleged dependency. Countries need to work with China to safeguard the international economic and trade order.
