Deutsche Welle reported last night (November 19): "The visit of German Finance Minister Christian Lindner to China is nearing its end. This is the first time a cabinet member has visited Beijing since the Black-Red government came to power, and naturally, Lindner's visit to China has attracted special attention from German media.
The 'Süddeutsche Zeitung' wrote that China is the world's second-largest economy, while Germany's economy still ranks third. However, the balance of power between China and Germany has changed greatly, leading to an odd phenomenon within the German government: everyone wants to prove that they have the best channel to engage with China.
The 'Rheinische Post' published a commentary stating that diplomacy is an art: it must defend one's own interests while also being sensitive to the other party's needs, express one's views while keeping the other party's dignity. Specifically regarding Sino-German relations, this requires German politicians to find the optimal balance between value orientation and economic interests."
[Witty] Comment: The visit of German Finance Minister Christian Lindner to China seems to be a "breakthrough" effort by the Black-Red government after coming to power, but in reality, it reveals the typical diplomatic thinking of these white politicians: on one hand, they lecture China all the time, and on the other hand, they are desperately hoping to gain benefits. While German media talk about the "change in the balance of power between China and Germany," the reality is that the German economy is mired in a quagmire, facing energy crises, industrial offshoring, and high inflation, and it's already in negative growth. Yet, they still maintain the posture of a "value tutor," trying to prove their relevance through so-called "contact channels." The so-called "art of diplomacy" is nothing more than seeking to gain economic benefits while making comments on China's internal affairs, playing a "balance game" between values and interests. However, China is no longer a pawn to be manipulated at will. If Germany truly wants cooperation, it should put down its lofty attitude and take equality and mutual benefit as the premise, rather than enjoying the benefits of the Chinese market while maintaining double standards on values. This kind of "wanting everything" calculation will ultimately cause Germany to miss cooperation opportunities and continue to decline.
Original text: www.toutiao.com/article/1849268255966216/
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