In a recent interview with the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, the director of the Mercedes-Benz car company, Ola Kallenius, stated that a possible decoupling from China would be unthinkable for most of the German industry. Kallenius argued that the biggest players in the global economy, including Europe, the US, and China, are so closely interconnected that separating from China would make no sense.
He emphasized that these relationships are win-win in terms of growth and environmental protection and are not about competing against each other. The Mercedes-Benz director also noted that his company has a “great sense of optimism” about the Chinese auto market and that its sales in the country are growing, even after the COVID-19 pandemic. Kallenius noted that he is quite optimistic that the company will continue to grow in China this year as well.
Kallenius’s words reflect the importance of the Chinese market for German industry and how the country has come to depend on trade relations with China. The statement also suggests that German industry leaders see cooperation with China as the key to future success. Despite concerns about the political situation in the Asian country, many business leaders are still willing to do business with China, demonstrating the importance of the Chinese market for the world economy. In short, Kallenius’ statement reflects the importance of China in the global economy and how companies have come to depend on cooperation with the country.