Germany emerges as key target for Russia, China interference, report warns
Germany is getting ready to hold a federal election next year
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Germany is now “on the frontline of a new Cold War” as it has become a key target for Chinese and Russian interference, a U.K.-based think tank is warning.
The declaration made in a report released Wednesday by the Royal United Services Institute -- which studies international security and defense -- comes as Germany is preparing for a federal election next year.
"Russia's activities are largely political, attempting to undermine public confidence in democratic institutions,” John Kampfner, a senior associate fellow at RUSI and author of the report, was quoted by Sky News as saying. “China's have been focused mainly on economic assets."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VATICAN, HONG KONG DIOCESE ALLEGEDLY HACKED BY CHINA
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she won't be seeking a fifth term as chancellor in 2021. (AP)
The combination has put Germany “on the frontline of a new Cold War,” the report adds.
In his writing, Kampfner says the threats Germany faces from Russia are mostly linked to cybersecurity.
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At the same time, Germany’s economy – the largest in Europe – has become heavily dependent on China for exports and has seen a number of its companies bought by their business people, he also notes.
"A number of Chinese takeovers, successful or resisted, of medium-sized... companies, the engine room of the German economy, has led to a shift in position and in perceiving China as a strategic competitor," Sky News quoted the report as saying.