BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Saturday against protectionist tendencies of US President-elect Donald Trump, citing lessons learned in the 2008 global financial crash and stressing the need to “move forward together”.
“My profound conviction is that there are more advantages… to moving forward together than when everyone resolves their problems for themselves. I am truly convinced of this,” she told a press conference at a meeting of her CDU party.
Asked if she believed “protectionist tendencies” by Trump could pose a threat, Merkel recalled the example of the 2008 global financial crisis, which “came from the United States”.
“As heads of state and government (of the G20), we said: ‘We must resolve the problem facing us together,'” she said.
“And the response to overcome that financial crisis was not a response based on closing oneself off, but a response which called for cooperation, for common rules, for regulation of financial markets.
“I think this way worked, and naturally we are going to seek dialogue with the new American president,” who will be inaugurated on January 20.
