BERLIN : China's decision to abandon its strict"zero-COVID" policy has not sparked a rebound in German firms' plans to invest there as a sluggish recovery and geopolitical tensions weigh on the business outlook, a survey showed on Thursday.
The survey comes amid a shift in Europe's approach towards China that aims to reduce strategic dependencies on Asia's rising superpower, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis highlighted the dangers of over-reliance. A draft strategy paper from the Greens-run economy ministry leaked last December included proposals for checks on outbound German investments in China. Economy Minister Robert Habeck has also argued for export controls in certain sectors.