Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Noah Barkin — senior advisor at Rhodium Group and author of the popular “Watching China in Europe” newsletter — about the rapidly shifting landscape of Germany's relationship with China. Germany is losing roughly 10,000 manufacturing jobs per month. As European leaders line up to visit Beijing and global trade tensions intensify, Germany finds itself caught between two worlds — deeply entangled with China economically but increasingly alarmed by the dependencies and security risks arising from this close relationship. From factory floors in Anhui to 5G towers in Hamburg, the choices Germany makes about China will shape not only its future, but Europe's.
This episode is a collaboration with the China Strategic Risks Institute.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Background
02:01 The State of Germany-China Relations Today
03:27 China's Support for Russia and Geopolitical Tensions
05:23 Perception of China's Support for Russia in Germany
07:05 Economic Shifts in German-China Business Relations
09:16 China Shock and Its Impact on German Industry
11:35 Auto Industry Investment and Deindustrialization
14:11 Cost Efficiency and Localization in China
16:44 Supply Chain Ecosystems and China's Industrial Advantage
18:43 European Trade Strategies and De-risking Efforts
21:33 EU Trade Policy and Tariffs on Chinese Goods
23:14 Pharmaceutical Industry and Chinese Competition
25:19 Critical Infrastructure and 5G Security Concerns
29:17 De-risking Supply Chains and Europe's Dependence on China
32:18 EU vs. Germany: Divergent Approaches to China
34:57 US Policies and Europe's China Strategy
38:08 Conclusion: Europe's Hedging Strategy and Future Outlook
Perspectives with Wenchi Yu
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