
Strong economic dependencies are dangerous. This is currently demonstrated by the shortage of Russian gas. But Germany's economic dependencies on China are much larger. Many companies, as well as the German government, are now rethinking their China strategy. It could be the beginning of a turning point.
By Nico Beckert
To relieve supply chains and ensure production continuity, companies could build up raw materials reserves. Japan, China, and the USA are miles ahead of Berlin and Brussels where the topic is being discussed. So far, however, this approach has been too expensive. Government stocks could also be part of the strategy.
By Leonie Düngefeld
The Commission is pushing ahead with the Raw Materials Initative: yesterday, the first building blocks were presented to the Parliament's Industry Committee. However, much remains open. A draft of the legislative package should be available by the end of the year.
By Leonie Düngefeld
German imports of raw materials from the People's Republic have not declined – despite appeals to reduce dependencies. It is difficult to turn away as long as prices are low and trade relations are reliable. Comparisons with Russian gas come to mind.
By Nico Beckert