At the end of last week, Annalena Baerbock traveled to China. She now reported in the Bundestag – and sometimes chose drastic words.
Munich/Berlin – It was not an easy visit – for both sides. At the end of last week, Annalena Baerbock traveled to China for her inaugural visit and met her counterpart Qin Gang and China’s highest-ranking diplomat Wang Yi in Tianjin and Beijing. At a joint press conference with Qin, the differences between the two sides became more than clear. “What China needs least is a teacher from the West,” Qin explained to his German colleague on Friday in front of the assembled press. Baerbock had previously criticized, among other things, that “human rights are being curtailed more and more” in the People’s Republic.
After her return from Asia, the Green politician has now followed suit. On the occasion of a government survey in the Bundestag, the Foreign Minister explained on Tuesday that what she had experienced in China had been “really more than shocking in some cases”. “For us, China is a partner, competitor and systemic rival,” said Baerbock. But her impression was “unfortunately that the aspect of ‘systemic rivals’ is increasing more and more”. Because China is “more aggressive on the outside, you could also say: more aggressive” and “more repressive on the inside”. This is also reflected in dealings with Taiwan. China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and wants to “reunite” it with the mainland by force if necessary. In the Taiwan issue, according to Baerbock, “there must be no military escalation,” and she ruled out a “unilateral change in the status quo.”
Baerbock has sharply criticized China’s stance on the Ukraine war
In the government survey, Baerbock indirectly addressed the French President’s controversial visit to China. Emmanuel Macron had traveled to the People’s Republic a few days before Baerbock and caused a stir with an interview in which he explained that the Taiwan conflict was not a problem for the Europeans. In the Bundestag, Baerbock now referred on the one hand to the importance of Taiwan for the global economy and at the same time emphasized that France had sent a frigate through the Taiwan Strait as a signal to Beijing during Macron’s visit. It is clear “that we as Europeans stand together” on this issue, said Baerbock.
Baerbock again criticized the Chinese attitude in the Ukraine war. Beijing describes itself as neutral, but maintains excellent contacts with the Kremlin and avoids condemning the Russian invasion. China must use its influence as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, said Baerbock in the Bundestag. In Beijing she “made it clear that it is important for world peace that the aggressor is named and it is made clear who the victim is and that the victim has a right to self-defense”. The fact that China’s foreign minister assured her during her visit that China would not “supply arms to conflicting parties” now and in the future, Baerbock rated as a success.
Baerbock: Relations with China “good and important” despite everything
Despite her sharp criticism of Beijing, Baerbock described the close relationship with China as “good and important” because: “We cannot get past China.” After all, the country is Germany’s largest trading partner. Germany should therefore not decouple itself economically from China, but “minimise risks”. With regard to Russia, Annalena Baerbock said past mistakes should not be repeated. “We don’t want to be so naïve as to believe that change comes automatically through trade or that trade is already a geopolitical strategy.”
Baerbock did not say in the Bundestag when the government’s long-awaited China strategy can be expected. However, she explained to her interlocutors that in a three-party coalition it was only natural that different opinions had to be brought together. Foreign Minister Qin Gang made it clear what Beijing expects from the document during Baerbock’s visit to China: “When implementing the China Strategy Document, Germany should protect the immediate interests and well-being between China and Germany and between the Chinese and German people keep an eye on it,” Qin said last week. “And it should make the right political decision.” (sh)
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