The way we deal with China must change

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BERLIN – Berlin must change the way it deals with China as the country retreats toward a more open “Marxist-Leninist” political path, German Chancellor Olaf Schulz Written in an editorial Thursday.

In his article for POLITICO and Schultz, Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, defended his trip to China on Thursday, but stressed that German companies would need to take steps to reduce “risky dependencies” in industrial supply chains, particularly in relation to “high-end technologies”. Schulze noted that President Xi Jinping was deliberately pursuing a political strategy to make international companies dependent on China.

“The result of the just-ended Communist Party congress is unequivocal: Confessions of Marxism-Leninism take up much wider space than in the conclusions of previous congresses…As China changes, the way we deal with China must change, too,” wrote Schulze.

Germany has faced harsh criticism for its pressure on Europe A catastrophic strategic dependence on Russian gas Over recent years, Berlin must now respond to suggestions that it is making exactly the same mistakes by relying on China as a manufacturing base and trading partner.

While Schulze did note a warning about China, he was far from suggesting that Germany was close to a major juncture in its largely relaxed relations with China. In fact, an echo clearly echoed His predecessor, Angela Merkel In insisting that the United States (which was not named but clearly identified) should not drag Germany into a new Cold War against Beijing.

“Germany of all nations, which went through the painful experience of division during the Cold War, has no interest in seeing new blocs emerge in the world,” he wrote. “What this means in relation to China is that this country of 1.4 billion people and its economic might will of course play a major role on the world stage in the future – as it has for so long throughout history.”

In a veiled criticism of Washington’s policies, Schulz said Beijing’s rise did not justify “calls by some to isolate China”.

Crucially, he insisted, the goal was not to “decouple” – or cut manufacturing links – from China. But he added that he takes “seriously” President Xi’s assertion that Beijing’s goal is to “tighten the dependence of international production chains on China”.

Schulz plans to fly to Beijing late Thursday for a one-day trip to the Chinese capital on Friday, where he will be the first Western leader to meet with Xi since his reappointment, and the first leader from the Group of Seven major industrialized nations to visit China since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. .

The chancellor also sought to confront Criticism that his trip undermines the common European approach to China. According to French officials, President Emmanuel Macron has suggested that he and Schultz visit Xi together to show unity and show that Beijing cannot divide European countries by playing its economic interests against each other — an initiative rejected by the German leader.

Schulz wrote: “German policy on China can only be successful when it is an integral part of European policy toward China.” “In the lead up to my visit, we have therefore been in close coordination with our European partners, including President Macron, as well as with our friends across the Atlantic.”

Chancellor Olaf Schulz has repeated his predecessor Angela Merkel in insisting that the United States should not drag Germany into a new cold war against Beijing | Clemence Bilan Paul / Getty Images

Schulz said he wanted Germany and the European Union to cooperate with a rising China – including on the important issue of climate change – rather than trying to overcome it.

At the same time, he warned Beijing that it should not pursue policies that strive for “dominant Chinese hegemony or even a pivotal world order.”

Schulz also pushed China to stop Support for Russia’s war Against Ukraine and taking a more critical stance towards Moscow: “As a permanent member of [United Nations] Books: Security Council, China bears special responsibility. Clear words from Beijing to Moscow are important – to ensure adherence to the UN Charter and its principles.