Closer Ties with China... German Chancellor Scholz's Controversial Visit to China

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping
[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit China on the 4th (local time) for the first time since taking office and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. This meeting is attracting international attention as it marks the first time since COVID-19 that President Xi meets with a Group of Seven (G7) leader.

However, controversy is growing within the German coalition government over Chancellor Scholz's visit to China. Amid deepening conflicts between China and the West following the Ukraine war and Russia's close ties with China, concerns have been raised that Scholz may be showing a pro-China stance. There are also criticisms that the timing of the visit is too soon, coming right after President Xi secured his third term.

According to Bloomberg and other sources, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is visiting Uzbekistan, insisted that Chancellor Scholz must clearly convey the German government's position during this visit. Minister Baerbock said, "It is important for Chancellor Scholz to communicate what was agreed upon during last year's coalition negotiations," adding, "There is a need to address issues such as fair competition and human rights." She argued that Scholz should raise his voice on issues that China finds sensitive. According to last year's German coalition agreement, the government takes a critical stance toward China, particularly highlighting human rights issues. Baerbock also revealed that Scholz himself set the schedule for the China visit.

Minister Baerbock recently clashed with Chancellor Scholz over the issue of the Chinese shipping company COSCO's acquisition of shares in the Hamburg container terminal in Germany.

Within the coalition, the Green Party and the Free Democratic Party opposed COSCO's acquisition of shares in the Hamburg terminal, and six ministries including the Foreign Ministry and the Chancellery also expressed opposition. State Minister Susan Bauman sent a letter to Wolfgang Schmidt, Chief of Staff of the Chancellery, pointing out that "it is inappropriate for Chinese influence to expand in German and European transport facilities and for Germany's dependence on China to deepen." However, Chancellor Scholz pushed forward, and the German government ultimately approved COSCO's acquisition of shares in the terminal. This has led to criticism that Scholz was trying to appease China ahead of his visit. Noah Barkin, a partner at consulting firm Rhodium Group, remarked, "It gives the impression of giving a gift to Xi Jinping, who has donned a new crown, before the visit."

The Financial Times pointed out that Scholz's approval of COSCO's share acquisition shattered expectations that he would take a different stance from former Chancellor Angela Merkel on China policy.

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel devoted considerable effort to China, visiting 12 times during her 16-year tenure. Although she occasionally criticized human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, economic relations were always the top priority.

There is also analysis that from Chancellor Scholz's perspective, it would be difficult to distance Germany from China when considering economic factors.

China was Germany's largest trading partner for six consecutive years until last year. China's share in German goods trade is 9.5%. Volkswagen sells 40% of its cars in China, Siemens' sales in the Chinese market account for 13%, and BASF's share is 15%.

However, concerns about China, which has been aligning closely with Russia after the Ukraine war and the West's severance of ties with Russia, are growing.

Minister Baerbock also criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine in S?ddeutsche Zeitung last month, saying, "It showed that we can no longer be overly dependent on countries that do not share our values."

Thomas Haldenwang, President of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), said at a parliamentary hearing last month, "In the long term, China poses a much greater risk than Russia. If Russia is a storm, China is climate change."

Ahead of the China visit, Chancellor Scholz's spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said, "Chancellor Scholz wants diversification and risk minimization but does not want to distance relations with China." He added that Scholz will address all issues related to China, including Taiwan and human rights.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.