It was the fastest journey ever made by a German chancellor to China, but it could have taken less than 11 hours for the visit to remain controversial. Olaf Scholz landed in Beijing this Friday, wrapped in a security bubble over the Covid-19 pandemic, seeking to deepen economic relations with the Chinese. This comes at a time when warnings are ringing about Berlin’s possible reliance on the Asian giant — modeled on Russia’s poor energy dependency — and less than two weeks after President Xi Jinping bolstered his power in the Chinese Communist Party.
Welcomed by Xi to the Great Hall of the People, a smiling Scholz said he hoped to “further develop” economic cooperation with China — reminding the Chinese leader that the two countries are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations. Later, however, during a meeting with Prime Minister Li Keqiang, the chancellor reiterated that Berlin expects there to be an equal footing in this relationship. “What’s clear to us is that we don’t believe in dissociation ideas. [com a China]but it’s also clear that this has to do with equal economic ties, with reciprocity,” Scholz said.
An Infratest-Dimap survey for ARD public television revealed that: only 9% of Germans consider China a reliable partner. Five years ago it was 36%. Beijing has been Berlin’s top economic partner for six years in a row, and Germany is also one of China’s top partners in Europe. According to the Xinhua bureau, the volume of exchanges between the two exceeded $250 billion in 2021.
Scholz’s visit came weeks after the Chinese were allowed to have a share in the exploration of the Port of Hamburg (Germany’s largest), despite the concession being limited to 24.9% (instead of the requested 35%). The Greens and Liberals, Scholz’s government partners, opposed, and reducing participation prevented the need for executive approval. The US also warned Berlin about the deal.
While Scholz was in Beijing, the heads of diplomacy of the G7 met in Münster, Germany. The world’s seven largest economies said they were prepared for “constructive cooperation with China where possible and where there is interest” – but on the sidelines, European diplomatic chief Josep Borrell defended that Western countries should reduce their dependence on China. The G7 countries urged Beijing to respect “international obligations and legal obligations” and to “refrain from threats, coercion, intimidation and the use of force” – in a reference to Taiwan.
“Different Perspectives”
Scholz also did not shy away from matters of disagreement. “It’s good that we can have an exchange here on all issues, including those where we have different perspectives – that’s what exchange is for,” Iindicated. At the press conference with Li Keqiang, he explained that Germany supports the “One China” policy, but “made it clear that any change in status quo of Taiwan must be peaceful or by mutual agreement” – Beijing does not rule out the use of force to reunite with the island, which it considers a rebel province.
“It is important that China and Germany respect each other, cater to each other’s core interests, focus on dialogue and jointly resist the disruption of bloc confrontation and attempts to see everything through the prism of ideology,” Xi said. Xinhua agency.
War in Ukraine
Scholz urged Xi to exert his “influence” on Russia so that it “immediately stops the attacks that affect the civilian population daily” and withdraws from Ukraine. In this respect, both reiterated their opposition to “the use or threat of the use of nuclear weapons,” Xinhua said. Scholz told reporters that in China everyone knows that the escalation of the war in Ukraine “would affect everyone”, and said he was “glad” that there was agreement on the issue.
“Currently, the international situation is complex and changing. As influential powers, China and Germany must work together in times of change and chaos to make a greater contribution to world peace and development.”, the Chinese president added. Scholz’s journey so close to the CPC congress, where Xi bolstered his power, has been seen by some as legitimizing the leader, who will be elected to an unprecedented third term in March.
Scholz was also the first G7 leader to visit China since the start of the pandemic. All over 60 members of the German delegation underwent tests on arrival – Scholz’s was performed while he was still on the plane by a German doctor, under the supervision of the Chinese.
Source: DN
