BEIJING: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and visiting Germany Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had comprehensive, candid and in-depth communication on Friday over China-Germany and China-EU relations as well as international and regional issues, as Macron’s calls for Europe’s strategic autonomy made waves within the continent and across the Atlantic.
While the differences between the two countries remain great, analysts shared the hope that through face-to-face communications, Germany, a major EU country, will deal with China based on its interests and pragmatism, as only by doing so can it blaze a sustainable and more independent trail with regard to its role in the EU and the world. Qin and Baerbock on Friday visited German companies in Tianjin, and after taking a high-speed train to Beijing together, co-chaired the sixth round of China-Germany strategic dialogue on diplomacy and security.
China and Germany are partners, not rivals, Qin emphasized, pointing out that the key to sound development of bilateral relations lies in enhancing mutual trust and avoiding strategic misjudgments. Qin called on Germany to formulate its China strategy based on the interests of the two countries and wellbeing of the two peoples. “China and Germany need cooperation, not confrontation, be it zero-sum or bloc confrontation.”
Qin also said bilateral interdependence in the industrial chain is a result of economic globalization and the best choice under market rules. China-Germany trade has long accounted for 30 percent of the trade volume between China and Europe. A forced braking will be counterproductive and the losses would outweigh the gains, Qin said. Qin also systematically elaborated on China’s stance on the Taiwan question – peace and “Taiwan independence” cannot co-exist and it is China’s internal affair that allows no external interference.
Baerbock repeated the necessity of “de-risking” instead of “decoupling” in the economic field. She reiterated support for the one-China policy while saying Taiwan’s destabilization would be a “horror scenario.”
The tone of Baerbock’s remarks is not surprising given her party affiliation and past hawkish attitude toward China, analysts said.
–The Daily Mail-Global Time news exchange item
