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German defence industry states it will need government aid to minimize dependence on China

German arms manufacturers will need assist from the government if they are to reduce their dependency on Chinese materials and still be able to complete with U.S. companies, Germany's defence market association said.

Hans Christoph Atzpodien, head of the Bundesverband der Deutschen Sicherheits- und Verteidigungsindustrie (BDSV), stated the U.S. defence market had, under federal government pressure, widely shed their dependency on Beijing recently.

German arms producers have actually not been required to do the same, however are bound to come under pressure to do so eventually, Atzpodien stated.

If we do not follow their (U.S.) example, we will ultimately come under pressure (to do so), he told in an interview this week.

Berlin's awareness of the circumstance has actually increased but the domestic defence market is still waiting on concrete actions to be taken, he said.

One could think about establishing nationwide reserves for resources that are especially vital, he said, mentioning existing oil and gas reserves.

One might also follow the American example and utilize public cash to minimize dependences (on China) in the making of defence items, paying a premium for products that have been produced without Chinese basic materials.

CHINA STRATEGY

U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled steep tariff increases on a variety of Chinese imports, and Germany is likewise concerned by the flood of cheaper imports from China.

Berlin described the requirement to minimize strategic reliances on Chinese items in its first China method announcement in 2015, citing unjust practises and political distinctions. The U.S. overtook China as Germany's essential trading partner in the very first quarter of this year, according to ' computations based upon official data.

Stress and anxiety about alleged Chinese spying - dismissed by Beijing - has likewise grown, with three German nationals detained last month on suspicion of handing over technology with military applications.

Atzpodien alerted that German arms producers' company would be at risk if war broke out between China and Taiwan, which China states belongs to its territory.

He said that such a war could set off sanctions on Beijing that German business would need to adhere to, or China would cut exports of raw materials utilized by the defence industry.

Under such circumstances, U.S. arms makers would have an advantage as, having actually minimized their dependence on China, they could provide their items sanctions-free.

The German defence market depends greatly on Chinese raw materials such as uncommon earths, with Beijing mining 69% of rare earths internationally and processing 86%, according to official figures.

China likewise controls the mining of other resources important for the defence industry, with a share of 74% for graphite and 78% for wolfram, according to the figures. China also accounts for more than 90% of international magnesium processing - essential for the production of aluminium - and more than 80% of germanium.

(source: Reuters)