cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/11187628

Here is the survey (pdf).

A new DIHK survey by DIHK, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), shows how strong competitive pressure has now become – and why, for the first time, a majority of companies supports greater protection from Chinese competitors.

• Above all, [German] companies expect Europe to adopt a united approach: two thirds of companies call for the EU to present a united front towards China (67 percent). 60 percent state that the EU should reduce strategic dependencies, whilst just under half would like to see Chinese companies excluded from critical infrastructure.
• More than one in three companies advocates stricter restrictions on Chinese competitors’ access to the EU single market. Thirty-one percent of companies are in favour of more robust trade defence measures.
• At the same time, a quarter of companies are in favour of removing mutual trade and investment barriers, and almost one in five companies are in favour of facilitating innovation partnerships. German companies therefore continue to see benefits in cooperation for mutual gain, provided that the same rules apply to all market participants.
• Countering distortions of competition with stronger EU measures: 55 percent agree or tend to agree with stronger trade policy measures towards China, even if their own company were to suffer negative consequences.
• In addition to trade defence measures, this could also include other measures, such as the introduction of EU preferences. 37 percent tend to disagree or completely disagree; eight percent did not give an opinion. One thing is clear: the EU should not sit back and wait, but should take an active role in trade policy.

As one report says, Majority of German companies accepts own disadvantages for tougher China line

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