MOFCOM Spokesperson Answers Questions on France and Germany Calling on the EU to Strengthen Trade Defense and Other Protectionist Tools

MOFCOM Spokesperson Answers Questions on France and Germany Calling on the EU to Strengthen Trade Defense and Other Protectionist Tools The MOFCOM spokesperson said in response to a question on France and Germany calling on the EU to strengthen trade defense and other protectionist tools that China always believes that interdependence is not a risk, intertwined interests are not a threat, and openness and cooperation are the right path to development. Protectionism cannot enhance competitiveness, and decoupling and severing supply chains will only harm others without benefiting oneself. It is hoped that France and Germany, as major global economies, will uphold openness, cooperation and free trade, abide by WTO rules, refrain from encouraging the EU to readily use protectionist tools, and even more so refrain from politicizing and overstretching the concept of national security on economic and trade issues, so as to avoid taking the wrong path in the wrong way and ultimately backfiring on themselves. The original text is as follows: MOFCOM Spokesperson Answers Questions on France and Germany Calling on the EU to Strengthen Trade Defense and Other Protectionist Tools Q: According to media reports, on October 5, France and Germany submitted an informal document to the European Commission, calling on the EU to strengthen the use of trade defense measures and introduce a number of new protectionist tools. What is China's comment? A: China has noted the relevant reports. China always believes that interdependence is not a risk, intertwined interests are not a threat, and openness and cooperation are the right path to development. Protectionism cannot enhance competitiveness, and decoupling and severing supply chains will only harm others without benefiting oneself. It is hoped that France and Germany, as major global economies, will uphold openness, cooperation and free trade, abide by WTO rules, refrain from encouraging the EU to readily use protectionist tools, and even more so refrain from politicizing and overstretching the concept of national security on economic and trade issues, so as to avoid taking the wrong path in the wrong way and ultimately backfiring on themselves. This article is excerpted from the official website of the Ministry of Commerce. Edited by Liu Jiayin, GMTEight.