Last year, Germany's imports from China increased by 33% year-on-year, while exports only increased by 3%.

(AFP file photo)

[Compilation of Wei Guojin/Taipei Report] Bloomberg reported that German Finance Minister Lindner (Christian Lindner) is worried about the unprecedented dependence of the German economy on China and called on Germany to deepen trade ties with democratic countries to reduce this dependence.

"Dangerous development: Germany's trade deficit with China more than doubles in 2022; we should learn from our experience with Russia," Lindner tweeted.

He said Germany "urgently" needed to rethink and focus more on free trade with "partners of like value".

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The report of the German Institute for Economic Research (IW) pointed out that the German economy is more dependent on China than ever before.

Germany's trade deficit with China will increase by more than 84 billion euros in 2022 from 39 billion euros in 2021.

In 2022, Germany's imports from China will increase by 33% annually, while Germany's exports to China will only increase by 3% annually. At the same time, Germany's exports to other countries in the world will increase by an average of 14% annually.

Jürgen Matthes, head of global and regional markets at IW, said: "Such a development is very problematic; our import dependence is a geopolitical risk, because the German economy would be vulnerable to an armed conflict over Taiwan. blackmailed".

"We must find a way to liberate ourselves from China," he stressed.