2023-06-21 06:30:00
China turned its international policy around, at least diplomatically, to explore bridges that would bring it closer to the West at a time when it seeks to break through as a power that may even be above the United States. And she also applied this turn when she seemed to be on the side of the encroaching – and increasingly isolated – Russia.
Indeed, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang on Tuesday urged greater economic cooperation with Germany, whose government is in turn trying to reduce its dependence on the Asian giant. And he did it from German territory, which is why it is more symbolic.
Li, on his first trip abroad since he was appointed last March, also stressed the importance that his country attaches to relations with the European Union (EU), in a context of growing mistrust in the bloc towards Beijing.
“The global economic recovery lacks growth dynamics. China and Germany, as big influential nations, should work closely together for world peace and development,” Li told a news conference, along with German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz.
The Chinese diplomat also assured that Beijing attaches “great importance to the ties between the European Union and China and wishes to work with Germany to promote these ties.”
Scholz met with Li at the height of a readjustment of German diplomacy towards China, although it remains its first trading partner.
Germany now adopts a more critical view of the Asian giant than in previous years, especially during the time of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who wanted to strengthen its trade relations with China.
The Chinese step comes just as the leading European economy seeks to diversify its partners to “reduce the risks” derived from an excessive dependence on China in strategic sectors, although it cannot ignore the Chinese market, key to its powerful industry.
“Germany seeks to expand its economic relations in Asia. We do not want to close ourselves off to a partner, we want balanced collaborations, ”said the foreign minister, assuring – however – that he had “no interest” in breaking economic ties with China.
But the Chinese diplomat asked countries that want to reduce their economic dependence on China not to use the “risk reduction” strategy to discriminate against their country.
“I think most of the friends of German industry will not see China as a risk and will not accept a so-called ‘risk reduction’ policy against China,” Li said, underlining his concern about possible “discriminatory measures”.
In full tension between China and the United States, Germany is emerging as a good interlocutor for Beijing, especially when the Chinese economy is having difficulties taking off after the covid pandemic.
In addition, Beijing and Washington resumed dialogue with the recent visit of the White House Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to the Chinese capital. But disagreements are still going on between the two countries.
Blinken said Tuesday that during his recent visit to Beijing he warned Chinese leaders of the “deep concern” of the United States over their alleged intelligence activities in Cuba.
“This is something that we are going to monitor very, very closely, and we have been very clear about it,” he added upon arriving in London after his trip to Beijing. “We will protect our homeland and our interests,” he insisted.
Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese foreign policy officials during a two-day visit, the highest-level U.S. trip to China in nearly five years that both sides say resulted in few progress.
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