EU will protect its market if needed, German finance minister says in China

By Maria Martinez

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil discussed overcapacity in China on Tuesday during his visit to Beijing and stressed that the Europen Union would act if a solution was not found.

"I made it clear that, if necessary, decisions will be made at the European level to better protect our markets," Klingbeil said. "I’d like to avoid that, but in the end, Europeans — and we Germans — must not be the ones left behind."

On his second day in China, Klingbeil discussed overcapacity, German-Chinese cooperation in multilateral organizations and the war in Ukraine at the Party Dialogue in Beijing.

Asked about EU divisions on relations with China, Klingbeil said coordination among Europen countries was key, and that he had liaised with his colleagues in the bloc before his trip.

"It’s crucial that Europe, where we have a lot of common ground, doesn’t present different voices and positions in China," Klingbeil said.

Ties between the two industrial powerhouses have been strained, in particular over Chinese export curbs on chips and rare earths that have caused major disruption for German firms.

Germany must diversify its supply chains to avoid disruption in the sourcing of rare earth minerals, he said, although he said the Chinese side gave him clear assurances about reliable access on Monday.

"Still, I want to stress: We need to do our homework in Germany," said Klingbeil.