Huawei as CDU sponsor – a fatal signal
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“There is a limit beyond which a Federal Chancellor party cannot credibly say: We remain independent, no matter who sponsors us,” writes Torsten Krauel
Source: REUTERS / Dado Ruvic; Claudius plow
The state party conference of the CDU in Baden-Württemberg was sponsored by the Chinese state-owned company Huawei. Those who want to appoint the Federal Chancellor have to be very careful with such problematic conference partners.
A.rmin Laschet gave his first speech as CDU federal chairman at the weekend State party conference of the CDU in Baden-Württemberg, and was co-financed by the Chinese state-owned company Huawei. The logo of the technology company was emblazoned on the thanks for the party congress sponsors, in the top left – in the most prominent position.
Armin Laschet speaks at the CDU party conference in Stuttgart
At the CDU party congress in Stuttgart, Armin Laschet gave one of his first major speeches as the new federal chairman – precisely where Friedrich Merz had a particularly large number of supporters.
Huawei is a corporation whose rise cannot be clearly separated from the Chinese military and its political leadership, the Communist Party, to put it cautiously. The SPD has already received around 20,000 euros from Huawei for party congress sponsorship. Firstly, however, she disclosed the amount voluntarily and secondly, she is not currently suspected of appointing the next Federal Chancellor. The CDU Baden-Württemberg, on the other hand, could form Laschet’s first step on the stairs to a possible candidate for chancellor in the state elections in March. Huawei thinks strategically and selects sponsor dates very specifically. From the Group’s point of view, that is also logical.
But not from the perspective of the CDU. It has stood for certain values since 1945, which China’s behavior towards Hong Kong or the Uyghurs definitely does not belong to. Fortunately, she has overcome the temptations of former Union politicians to gloss over the Franco and Salazar regimes in Spain and Portugal, Pinochets in Chile and the apartheid regime in South Africa with world-political necessities and to maintain good contacts with them.
It would be rather fatal if, with Armin Laschet’s party chairmanship, the impression arose in any way that, for global economic reasons or whatever, one was taking money from companies that serve as a showcase for similar problematic regimes. It is not even completely clear in what form Huawei involved in the German 5G network shall be. The Union Group has reached a compromise, but concerns remain.
Beijing uses funds very deliberately and very skilfully around the world Influence a. From the point of view of the Chinese leadership, this is also entirely logical. The CDU, which would like to appoint the next Federal Chancellor, does not have to adopt this point of view. There is a limit beyond which a Federal Chancellor party cannot credibly say: We remain independent, no matter who sponsors us.
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