【英文】德国墨卡托中国研究所报告：如何管理中国的“经济胁迫”（18页）

英文研究报告 2022年09月14日 08:37 管理员

European business interests in China are becoming more exposed to diferent forms of Chinese economic retaliation, which follows sometimes their own actions but increasingly also measures taken by the EU or its member states. Quickly escalating disputes with China’s government mean that the risk exposure of European companies to economic coercion is ofen out of their control. China’s souring relations with Lithuania over the renaming of the Taiwan representative ofce has been a case in point, with companies operating in Lithuania caught in Beijing’s crosshairs. It has become clear that companies can now have their operations afected by retaliation following the actions of any EU government. The deepening of economic relations with China is now increasingly seen in the context of growing systemic rivalry – if not confict. Bridging diferences is becoming ever more difcult as the systemic divide is widening.

Political risks are on the rise, exposing vulnerabilities in companies’ China business. They will have to adapt to new dimensions of risk. The EU and its member states have taken more robust stances towards China in recent years, including introducing policies risking confrontation with Beijing over its key interests. This covers political confrontations over human rights or Taiwan as well as economic confict over issues ranging from subsidies to market access. China’s leadership nonetheless has a strong incentive to continue prioritizing economic interests and thus accept political diferences. However, it might at the same time calculate that its best option is to leverage existing and prospective economic ties to further these interests. Thus, the threat of economic retaliation is a new reality in Europe’s relationship with China. Navigating it will require European companies to properly assess their risk exposure and to prepare steps to mitigate the impact.