Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has warned against becoming too dependent on China. “For the future it means we have to learn lessons and learning the lesson means we have to reduce one-sided dependencies wherever possible, this also applies to China in particular,” said Steinmeier on Tuesday evening during his visit to the ARD TV station in Ukraine. “Daily Topics”. “It is very important that we talk much more intensively with China’s neighbors, who certainly cannot replace our trade relations, economic relations with China. But Southeast Asia is an area with 700 million inhabitants, where I think we have the relationship with East Asia to rebalance.”
With regard to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Steinmeier conceded that there was no certainty that economic exchange would also lead to political rapprochement. The trust that change comes from trade has been lost.
Is there a compromise in the dispute over Cosco?
This Wednesday, the federal cabinet wants to reach a compromise in the dispute over the entry of the Chinese state-owned company Cosco at a container terminal in the port of Hamburg. Specifically, it is about a so-called partial ban, as government circles said. According to this, Cosco would be able to participate in the Tollerort terminal of the Hamburg port logistics company HHLA, as agreed more than a year ago – but only with 24.9 percent and not with 35 percent as previously planned.
The compromise that is now emerging is controversial in the traffic light coalition. Under the impression of recent experiences with Russia and the dependence on its gas supplies, a political dispute broke out over the question of whether Chinese participation should be allowed. However, according to media reports, the Chancellery urged the entry to take place.
Steinmeier promised Ukraine further German support during his unannounced visit on Tuesday. On the one hand, the arms deliveries should be continued, on the other hand, town twinning should get the war-torn country better through the winter.
