German industry body warns against U.S.-provoked trade war
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"A conflict between the world's two largest economies would also negatively affect the German economy," DIHK president Eric Schweitzer told German newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung.
Schweitzer stressed how deeply intertwined the German, U.S. and Chinese economies had become.
"Germany shares a trade volume with both countries of nearly 170 billion euros ($199.8 billion) each," he noted. The combined 335 billion euros account for more than 15 percent of Germany's total trade.
Schweitzer reprimanded U.S. president Donald Trump for his protectionist "America First" rhetoric, emphasizing that all sides had to abide by the rules of the World Trade Organization. He called for a strengthening of the Geneva-based organization to resolve disputes.
According to the DIHK president "a trade war would only produce losers." ■