STORY: What lies behind "de-risking" strategy touted by Western politicians
DATELINE: July 20, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:51
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: POLITICS
 
SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KEITH BENNETT, Vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club
2. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ZOON AHMED KHAN, Research Fellow, Center for China & Globalization, Beijing
3. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): WILLIAM JONES, Washington bureau chief of U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review
4. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): JERRY GREY, Australian media commentator
5. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): JERRY GREY, Australian media commentator
6. SOUNDBITE 6 (English): WILLIAM JONES, Washington bureau chief of U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review
 
STORYLINE:
 
The talk of "de-risking" from China has been gaining ubiquity among Western politicians and business communities recently, while the de-coupling approach seems to be put away, at least in rhetoric.
 
In reality, the word "de-risking" is extremely ambiguous and its meaning uncertain.
 
Observers say, the old way of total decoupling from the world's second largest economy has been proved impossible and immensely self-destructive.
 
But they still want to profit from China's mega market and rein in the country's rise at the same time.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KEITH BENNETT, Vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club
"I think de-risking is the wrong term, because decoupling and de-linking are clearly unrealistic. So they tried to nuance it by talking about de-risking. But I think it's the wrong term because you only need de-risking if there's a risk. And I don't see it. To me, China is not a risk, it's an opportunity."
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ZOON AHMED KHAN, Research Fellow, Center for China & Globalization, Beijing
"It is a move towards de-globalization. It is a perspective that is about protectionism. They don't want to see China becoming more influential, and world's status-quo, their own status-quo changing."
 
SOUNDBITE 3 (English): WILLIAM JONES, Washington bureau chief of U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review
"They are aiming at restricting the rapid development of China and its emergence as a major force on the world stage. The U.S. is no longer in the same position that it was in maybe 10 or 20 years ago as the sole super power. It has had to rely on bringing its allies on board a policy of trying to slow down or restrict the speed of China's development."
 
SOUNDBITE 4 (English): JERRY GREY, Australian media commentator
"They're obviously aiming to stymie or restrict the growth of China. America has taken an adversarial position with China."
 
Analysts say China does not pose any threat to anyone, and that the de-risking strategy is underpinned by the U.S. desire to maintain hegemony.
 
SOUNDBITE 5 (English): JERRY GREY, Australian media commentator
"China is not a threat to the United States, not in any way, shape or form, but they see it as a threat. They feel it as a threat. Now, what does the United States do? When it has hegemony, when it has financial strength, when it has military strength, it's fear of a threat, which is a perception, not a reality."
 
SOUNDBITE 6 (English): WILLIAM JONES, Washington bureau chief of U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review
"The biggest problem is this idea - American exceptionalism. The notion that somehow the U.S. is the one exceptional nation that is called upon to rule the world. This is a false philosophy, which unfortunately has affected a large part of our political elites and has led really to discrediting of the U.S. reputation."
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)