Western countries must reduce their dependence on China, but they must not put it in the same category as Russia, the European Union’s top diplomat said on the second day of a meeting of foreign ministers in Group of Seven in Germany.
The talks between top diplomats from the wealthiest democracies coincide with a one-day visit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Beijing, the first by a G7 leader since Chinese President Xi Jinping consolidated his power in a Congress of the Communist Party.
China hawks have said the trip risks appearing as a stamp of approval for Xi and a sign that Germany will continue to prioritize its economic ties with Beijing over strategic and security considerations.
“It is clear that China is becoming much more assertive, much more on a self-sufficient course,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters.
“We want to reduce our dependence, we want to address our vulnerabilities, strengthen our resilience,” he added. “But at the moment, many member states have a strong economic relationship with China and I don’t think we can put China and Russia on the same level.”