Q: According to media reports, on October 5, France and Germany submitted an informal document to the European Commission, requesting that the EU strengthen the use of trade defence measures and introduce multiple new protectionist tools. What is China’s comment on this?

A: China has noted the relevant reports. China always believes that interdependence is not a risk, and that intertwined interests are not a threat. The right path to development is openness and cooperation. Protectionism cannot enhance competitiveness, and decoupling and severing supply chains will only harm others without benefiting oneself. China hopes that France and Germany, as major global economies, will uphold open cooperation and free trade, abide by WTO rules, and refrain from encouraging the EU to use protectionist tools willfully. Still less should they politicize economic and trade issues or overstretch the concept of security, lest they take the wrong path in the wrong way and end up backfiring on themselves. (Released on October 6)