MUNICH (AP) — Germany's foreign minister says that as China's influence on the world stage rises, the U.S. and Europe need to return to historical bonds and work together or risk getting left behind.

Sigmar Gabriel told world leaders and defense officials at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that the U.S. needs Europe as much as Europe needs the U.S. and said now is not the time for "just pursuing individual national interests."

He said that since World War II Germany benefited from a strong relationship with the U.S., learning democracy, multilateralism, international law and free trade principles from Washington.

Gabriel said "maybe this can explain why we Germans in particular are so perturbed when we look across the Atlantic — because we no longer recognize our America."