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China saw Germany's new approach to its relationship with it as an exacerbation of "divisions" and an instigator of "man-made risks" in the world. 

After Germany called the 64-page approach released on Thursday a response to a "more assertive" China, the Asian nation's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press briefing on Friday that "We believe that competition and protectionism in the name of 'de-risking' and reducing dependence entirely securitize and politicizes normal cooperation". 

Wang said this would "only produce the opposite of the intended result, creating man-made risks", adding that "Clamouring about so-called competition of systems, interests, and values goes against the trend of the times and will only exacerbate divisions in the world". 

The approach which also tackles security policy alongside economic and scientific cooperation, is the result of months of debate in the German government on how to manage with the Chinese government.

On Thursday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted that his country had "reacted to a China that has changed and become more assertive", and that it wanted to diminish economic reliance on China in critical areas.

Read more: Modern Diplomacy: China's influence grows across Asia, Africa & Europe

Wir arbeiten mit #China weiter zusammen, auch wirtschaftlich oder beim Klimaschutz - die #ChinaStrategie gibt unseren Beziehungen einen neuen Rahmen. Kritische Themen wie Menschenrechte, Rechtsstaatlichkeit und fairen Wettbewerb sprechen wir dabei immer an. #Kabinett

— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) July 13, 2023

From 'de-risking' to decoupling' 

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock believed the new strategy was entrenched in the European Union's approach to China, which depicted Germany as "realistic but not naive".  

Although Baerbock of the Greens party pushed for a greater emphasis on human rights, Scholz, a Social Democrat, defended a more trade-friendly position which he calls "de-risking but not decoupling".

At first, Germany grew frustrated with the Chinese embassy in Berlin since "viewing China as a 'systemic competitor and rival' is not in line with the objective facts, nor with the common interests of the two countries".

The embassy responded in a statement that "an ideological view of China... will only intensify misunderstandings and misjudgments, and damage cooperation and mutual trust".  

In turn, European governments and the American government have echoed a similar statement regarding not wanting to remain economically dependent on China but wanting to continue working and trading with Beijing.  

Chinese premier Li Qiang visited Germany last month and warned it against "using de-risking in name to carry out decoupling".  

His visit to Germany came days after a paper published by Scholz's coalition criticized China for placing global security and regional stability "under increasing pressure" and for ignoring human rights.

Asked what message the document sent to Beijing, Scholz told a press conference that "the point is that China will continue to grow economically and that China's integration into world trade and world economic relations should not be impaired."

"But at the same time, the security issues that arise for us must be taken into account," he said, stressing that Germany "doesn't want decoupling, we want de-risking".

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