Local media agencies report that the vice chancellor of Germany has proposed tightening the screening process for foreign direct investment from China in AI and other related sectors.
Rober Habeck, a Greens coalition member and economic minister, stated that restrictions on Chinese foreign investment would be tightened in “critical sectors” such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI).
It seeks to consolidate and simplify several extant rules about China’s dominant industries, such as those listed above. He reportedly also suggested clamping down on Chinese efforts to circumvent existing regulations.
This proposition comes one month after Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, warned that China was becoming increasingly “repressive internally and more aggressive externally.”
According to reports, Habeck’s proposed measures prioritize foreign investment in something other than Chinese technology industries. This was, however, the primary focus of recently finalized regulations from the United States, which several European governments, including Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, are currently considering.
Before becoming official, the proposed legislation anticipates comments from various government departments. German officials are also currently discussing artificial intelligence regulations.Â
China is Germany’s most significant trading partner, according to official government statistics. Germany is the largest economy in Europe.
These departures from Germany result from an ongoing exchange between China and the United States regarding the development and deployment of AI.
After multiple instances of the United States tightening export controls and investment opportunities, China announced it would tighten export controls on crucial chip-making materials.
In response, the United States revealed intentions to limit China’s access to cloud computing services. In addition to other “critical sectors,” China has released a series of new regulations regarding investments from and to China in these two.
In the meantime, the Chinese government has released and implemented its regulations regarding the development and deployment of artificial intelligence.
