Germany on Thursday vowed to apply a "robust trade policy" on Beijing, amid concerns of overreliance on China and human rights abuses.

Any "naivety" in relations with China was "over", German Economy Minister Robert Habeck told a press conference after hosting a meeting of G7 trade ministers.

"The period when we said trade no matter what, whatever the social or humanitarian standards are" was over, Habeck said.

"We will establish a robust trade policy towards China in Europe" as would other international partners, he said, promising a response to Chinese trade protections.

Western partners have already begun trying to unwind a reliance on trade with China that was dramatically exposed during the coronavirus pandemic.

They have also sought to wrest back control of key technologies, such as batteries and semiconductors, where businesses have up until now been highly reliant on Chinese suppliers.

But Russia's invasion of Ukraine has further exposed the dangers of reliance -- as Europe has experienced over energy.

"Diversifying trade" was "key to ensuring well-functioning supply chains", G7 trade ministers concluded in a statement.

"China is one of the concerns, concern on distortion, industrial subsidies, on transparency," European Union trade commissioner Vladis Dombrovskis told AFP.

"We need to discuss about the way to address it," said Dombrovskis, who attended the meeting.

The EU earlier this week said it would will ban products made from forced labour.

The plan does not explicitly mention China but comes amid widespread concern over the exploitation of Uyghur workers in the region of Xinjiang.

Earlier this year, the EU also unveiled a multi-billion-euro "Chips Act" aimed at doubling Europe's market share in semiconductors and dependence on supplies from Asia.

The G7 declaration also came as China's Xi Jinping met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Uzbekistan along with other Asian leaders to discuss military and trade cooperation.

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EU to ban products made using forced labour, risking China anger
Brussels (AFP) Sept 14, 2022
The European Union said Wednesday it will ban products made from forced labour as China faces rising criticism that the Uyghur people in the Xinjiang region are being forced into slave labour. The plan by Brussels does not specifically mention China, but will instead focus on all products made from forced labour - including those made within the bloc. "This proposal will make a real difference in tackling modern-day slavery, which affects millions of people around the globe," said the EU's trad ... read more