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German foreign minister urges ‘fair’ rare earth, chip trade with China
Johann Wadephul, who plans to reschedule a recently cancelled Beijing trip, says Germany is committed to ensuring fair trade with China
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German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Monday called for “fair” trade with China in chips and rare earth minerals, amid heightened tensions between China and the European Union.
Wadephul, who last week was forced to cancel a planned visit to China, said he planned to speak to Chinese representatives by phone “as soon as possible and reschedule the trip”.
“It’s only postponed, not cancelled,” Wadephul said of the visit.
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Germany called off the trip after the Chinese side were unable to confirm any appointments for Wadephul in China beyond a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“I believe that was the right decision in this situation. But for the German government, it’s clear that we have a very long-standing, good relationship with the People’s Republic of China,” Wadephul said. “We are always ready for dialogue.”
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Chinese trade restrictions, particularly on rare earths and semiconductors, were among the issues that Wadephul intended to discuss during the visit.
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