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Premier Li Qiang of China speaks at an event held by the France-China Committee in Paris, France, on June 21. (AFP/Yonhap)

According to China, the US’ new policy of “de-risking” with China is no different from “decoupling,” as both policies focus on de-Sinicization.

In an interview on China-US relations with a reporter from China Central Television (CCTV) on Wednesday, Yang Tao, the director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s department of North American and Oceanian affairs commented, “Our question is whether de-risking is just a repackaging of decoupling. If, fundamentally, de-risking is about shutting China out, then it is turning away from cooperation, stability and development. It won’t solve the US’ problem and will backfire, dragging the world down with it.”

Yang went on to say, “China’s influence on the world has been to give it stability, certainty, and positive energy, so what are the risks? China and the US should, for the welfare of humanity, take the lead in global cooperation and respond to global risks.”

Currently visiting Europe, at the China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum in Berlin on Tuesday, Premier Li Qiang of China said, “Imposing discriminatory measure in the name of de-risking to restrict or exclude other countries is contrary to market principles as well as the rules of fair competition and the rules of the World Trade Organization.”

“There is a profound difference, for the United States and for many other countries, between de-risking and decoupling,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the end of his visit to China on Monday. “As [Treasury] Secretary Yellen testified before Congress last week, it would be, as she put it, disastrous for us to decouple and stop all trade and investment with China.”

“We are for de-risking and diversifying,” he continued. “That means investing in our own capacities and in secure, resilient supply chains; pushing for level playing fields for our workers and our companies; defending against harmful trade practice; and protecting our critical technologies so that they aren’t used against us.”

This means that the US does not want a broad economic separation from China, but that they want to prevent certain components or technologies from falling into Chinese hands that could put the US at risk.

By Choi Hyun-june, Beijing correspondent

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]