Reference News Website February 28 report: Germany's "China Platform" website published an article titled "Merkel's Visit to China: The 'Systemic Rival' Narrative Is Out of Date" on February 25, authored by Helenie Bubrowski. The following is the translated text:
"Dialogue" was the most frequently used word on the first day of German Chancellor Merkel's visit to China. At the Munich Security Conference, Merkel had previously stated that Germany's foreign policy long "admonished, demanded, and criticized." Now, he wants to change this approach, especially in relations with China - after all, China is a country that cannot be ignored.
Merkel's statements remind people of the Merkel era. During his visit to China, both sides affirmed the importance of the China-Germany government consultation mechanism.
Practical "dialogue" is not as simple as its literal meaning. It may also mean that both sides express their views, listen to each other's concerns, and maintain differing opinions.
During his visit to China, the German Chancellor explained Germany's concerns to the Chinese leader, such as reducing "dependence," trade imbalances, and export controls. At the same time, Merkel also encouraged Chinese companies to invest in Germany. For this purpose, Martin Blasing, the special envoy for investment issues, also accompanied the delegation on the visit to China.
The Chinese side expressed its concern about the issues raised by Merkel and was willing to help solve the problems faced by German companies. Both sides agreed that economic and trade cooperation is an important part of bilateral relations and are willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
In the well-known threefold positioning of China as "partner, competitor, and systemic rival," Merkel once placed "systemic rival" first. However, during this visit to China, Merkel did not emphasize sensitive issues between the two countries.
For example, regarding the Ukraine issue, the German chancellor's wording was relatively moderate. After meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Merkel said he had called on China to use its influence to promote the end of the Ukraine crisis. He said, "Beijing can have an impact on this. We know that China's signals will be highly valued in Moscow."
On the first day of the German Chancellor's visit to China, some cooperation documents were signed in certain fields. Both sides also agreed to continue cooperating in addressing climate change. Additionally, according to information from the Chinese side, the China Media Capital signed cooperation documents with the German Football Professional League and the German Table Tennis Association. (Translated by Nie Litao)
Original: toutiao.com/article/7611817809240212004/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.