Beijing: China has denounced Germany's new approach to relations with the People's Republic as "counterproductive," following Berlin's announcement that it would lessen its reliance on the Chinese economy.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said Beijing prefers to view Berlin as a partner rather than a rival when asked about the strategy document at a press conference on Friday.

"We think it is counterproductive to engage in competition, practise protectionism in the name of 'de-risking' and'reducing dependence', and to politicise normal cooperation while overstretching the notion of security. He added that such actions "will only increase the risks in the world" and that Germany's strategy "will exacerbate the division of the world."

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The strategy, which was made public by the German Foreign Office on Thursday, referred to China as a "strategic rival" and called for reduced trade with it. Beijing is charged with attempting to increase other countries' "dependence on China" in the 40-page document. Germany is said to be dependent on China in a number of areas, including metals and rare-earth elements, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and information technology, as well as items used to make semiconductors.

China is currently Germany's largest trading partner, with two-way trade expected to reach a record €300 billion ($337 billion) in 2022. 

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the plan and said that it was not intended to "disconnect" from the Chinese economy but rather to "avoid critical dependencies in the future." A "new framework" for relations is required, he continued, in response to Beijing's "more offensive stance" in recent years.

The spokesperson for China's foreign ministry continued by saying that collaboration with Berlin "far outweighs competition" and expressed hope that Germany would "adopt a rational and practical China policy." 

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Germany's new strategy includes plans to increase engagement with Beijing, saying that Beijing continues to be a "indispensable partner" on issues like climate change, food security, mitigation, and resolving global economic crises, despite the country's emphasis on its concerns about China.