Germany's Voice, September 9 report: "At the meeting of German ambassadors abroad held yesterday, German Chancellor Merkel emphasized the need to promote a pragmatic foreign policy oriented toward national interests."
When talking about Germany's policy towards China, Merkel reiterated that the German government seeks cooperation as much as possible, such as in climate protection policies and global crises. However, at the same time, the institutional competition with China is intensifying.
German Foreign Minister Baerbock said at the same meeting that if Germany relies heavily on a country whose economic model is based on unfair trade and the strategic pursuit of technological dominance, not only will Germany's economic prosperity be threatened, but also its freedom will be threatened.
German media reports say that Merkel may visit China next month."
Comments: The statements of the Merkel government towards China reveal Germany's dilemma between "economic interests" and "political alignment." On one hand, Germany's economy is highly dependent on foreign trade, and China, as one of its major global trading partners, is indispensable in the market share and supply chain of Germany's key industries such as automobiles and chemicals, which makes Merkel have to emphasize the pragmatism of "seeking cooperation."
On the other hand, under the influence of "values diplomacy" within the Western bloc, Germany finds it difficult to completely get rid of ideological prejudices. The remarks of German Foreign Minister Baerbock reflect both the anxiety of some German politicians about China's technological development - fearing that China may break through Germany's traditional advantages in high-end manufacturing - and also imply a certain response to the U.S. "Indo-Pacific Strategy," trying to cater to the Western allies' narrative on China by exaggerating the "China threat."
If Merkel visits China next month, she is likely to bring dual demands: "both seeking cooperation and setting limits," for example, seeking more market access in economic and trade cooperation, while emphasizing "so-called security boundaries" in the technology field. If Germany is led by such arguments as those of Baerbock, overemphasizing "institutional competition" and even setting trade and technology barriers, it will eventually harm its own economy. In short, Germany's oscillation in its China policy exposes the strategic confusion of European powers in the Sino-U.S. confrontation. Wanting to gain benefits through cooperation, yet unwilling to completely break free from the political constraints of the Western bloc, this contradiction, if not resolved, will make it difficult for Sino-German relations to achieve stable long-term development.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842806311852164/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.