Germany seeks to secure its long-term reserves of critical and strategic raw materials as Berlin assesses the possible consequences of China’s restrictions on exports of certain metals used to produce semiconductors, a German politician said on Wednesday. These restrictions, the implementation of which was announced by Beijing on Monday, represent the latest salvo in the escalating trade standoff between China and the United States.
Although it is a response to US trade restrictions, Beijing’s move will also have repercussions in Europe, a German industry representative said on Wednesday.
An impact still difficult to anticipate
“It is precisely when it comes to the supply of raw materials that Europe remains vulnerable,” observed Holger Kunze, director of the Brussels office of industry group VDMA. The latter called to focus on the opening of new markets and new sources of raw materials, warning against free trade agreements that contain possible sanctions on non-commercial elements such as the environment, human rights and the climate.
“From what we know so far, this is initially just an export control measure, not restrictions,” he said. “It is important to diversify supply chains, use raw materials more efficiently, advance recycling and substitution, and strengthen the processing and extraction of raw materials in Europe as well,” he said.
Source: BFM TV
