BEIJING, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi cautioned the Western nations against a potential historic error if they pursue decoupling from China as a strategy to mitigate risks.
In a speech delivered on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference, Wang expressed his strong opposition to any attempts at "de-sinicization" under the guise of risk reduction. The warning comes in the backdrop of increased calls from both the United States and the European Union over the past year to lessen their reliance on China.
During a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the conference on Friday, Wang Yi emphasized that the U.S. would be undermining itself by turning "de-risking" into "de-China" and advocating for a complete "decoupling from China."
The European Commission recently unveiled plans aimed at enhancing the European Union's economic security by implementing closer scrutiny of foreign investments and establishing more coordinated controls on exports and technology outflows, particularly towards rivals such as China. This move has sparked concerns from China's Chamber of Commerce to the EU.
The outlined plans underscore the EU's commitment to "de-risking," a policy aimed at reducing economic dependence on China. This stance is driven by the EU's suspicions regarding China's close ties to Russia.