Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: IOF withdraw from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood
Israeli media: Face-to-face clashes with machine guns between Hamas and Israeli forces in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City
Israeli media: Helicopters sent to evacuate troops from Al-Zaytoun are under heavy fire
Israeli media: A new security incident at an additional location in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City
Israeli media: Search for 4 missing soldiers in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
Israeli media platform: In the second incident, two injured people were transported from Gaza, and we are awaiting the authorities to notify the families to provide additional details shortly
Israeli media platform: 3 security incidents reported in Gaza
Israeli media platform: A serious incident in Gaza... A dead soldier was evacuated under fire... and an additional evacuation helicopter was dispatched
Israeli media outlet: Fierce battles ongoing between our forces and "militants" in the Gaza Strip
Israeli media platform: Confrontations ongoing across the Gaza Strip, heavy fighting reported in Gaza City and Khan Younis

Decoupling from China 'an illusion': French Economy Minister

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 30 Jul 2023 11:55
3 Min Read

During a visit to Beijing on Sunday, France's Finance Minister stated that breaking all economic ties with China was "an illusion."

  • x
  • Newly named French economy minister, Bruno Le Maire, 48, left, listens to his predecessor, Michel Sapin, during an handover ceremony in Paris, France, Wednesday, May 17, 2017.
    Newly named French Economy Minister, Bruno Le Maire, 48, left, listens to his predecessor, Michel Sapin, during a handover ceremony in Paris, France, Wednesday, May 17, 2017. (AP)

During a visit to Beijing on Sunday, France's Finance Minister warned that breaking all economic ties with China was "an illusion," as several Western countries rethink their reliance on the Asian powerhouse.

"We are totally opposed to the idea of decoupling. Decoupling is an illusion," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told reporters at the French embassy, adding that "There is no possibility of having any kind of decoupling between the American, European and Chinese economies."

Nonetheless, Le Maire maintained France's goal of becoming more economically autonomous in certain industries. However, he noted that the term "de-risking," which has been popular in the West in recent months, "does not imply that China is a risk."

Read next: China delivering military equipment to Russia, France says

"De-risking means that we want to be more independent... We don't want to realize, as we realized during the Covid crisis, that we have too much dependence on some very specific components," he added, citing microchips as one example.

Related News

China warns against hoarding rare earth minerals amid trade tensions

Rubio: US-China relationship is the century’s biggest challenge

Le Maire's words come as some Western countries want to minimize their economic reliance on China, particularly Germany, which counts China as its top trading partner and a key market for its automobile industry.

The US has also urged for de-coupling from China, however, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated earlier this month during a visit to Beijing that a decoupling of the US and Chinese economies would be "virtually impossible."

Meanwhile, China has slammed Western efforts to de-risk, with Premier Li Qiang labeling the approach a "false proposition" last month. Le Maire is currently in China for high-level economic talks and will visit the southern tech capital of Shenzhen on Monday to meet with business executives.

West's economic de-risking a 'false proposition': Chinese PM

Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang considered on July 27 that the Western countries' decision to "de-risk" their economies was a "false proposition", slamming the United States and European Union policy aimed at reducing their reliance on China. 

"In the West, some people are hyping up what is called 'cutting reliance and de-risking'," Li told delegates from New Zealand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Barbados, and Saudi Arabia at the opening of a World Economic Forum meeting in northern China. "These two concepts... are a false proposition, because the development of economic globalization is such that the world economy has become a common entity in which you and I are both intermingled," the Chinese Premier pointed out in a speech calling for deepening economic globalization and cooperation.

"The economies of many countries are blended with each other, rely on each other, make accomplishments because of one another, and develop together," he indicated. 

"This is actually a good thing, not a bad thing."

  • Beijing
  • Bruno Le Maire
  • France
  • China

Most Read

Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks (Photo by Mahdi Rtail)

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025
Although it does seem likely they will launch some kind of operation in northern Gaza, one which will accelerate its mass murder of civilians, but will fail to achieve its stated objectives. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Here is why the Israeli occupation of Gaza won’t work

  • Opinion
  • 26 Aug 2025
YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced a new operation targeting Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, August 27, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen attacks al-Lydd airport in Yafa using ballistic missile

  • Politics
  • 27 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Global Sumud flotilla sets sail to break blockade on Gaza
Palestine

Global Sumud flotilla, largest yet, to set sail bound for Gaza

A Palestinian flag flies next to a Slovenian, center, and a European Union flag, right, at the government building in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Thursday, May 30, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Slovenia mulls entry ban for Israeli PM Netanyahu

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint news conference following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, May 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Turkey severs 'Israel' trade ties, closes airspace to Israeli aircraft

Maduro vows Venezuela is 'impenetrable' as US warships mear Caribbean
Latin America

Maduro vows Venezuela is 'impenetrable' as US warships near Caribbean

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS