An open dispute has broken out in the traffic light coalition about the future course towards China. Green politicians have criticized a strategy paper by the conservative wing of the SPD, which warns of an “anti-China” strategy. Green parliamentary group leader Andreas Audretsch told the German press agency: “China is a partner, competitor and systemic rival at the same time – recognizing that is the basis of a serious China policy. In the SPD, that still doesn’t seem to have arrived in parts.”
The refusal to see reality has made Germany and Europe dangerously dependent on Russia. “It would be negligent to repeat these historical mistakes in China policy.”
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had visited China for two days – she arrived in South Korea on Saturday. Among other things, the Green politician had urged the Chinese government to do more to end the war against Russia than before.
The aim of Baerbock’s trip was also to sound out the opportunities for future cooperation with Beijing and at the same time to reduce the dangers of one-sided dependency. The foreign ministers also expressed concern that the space for civil society and human rights in China would be curtailed.
In a strategy paper, the Seeheim circle of conservative politicians in the SPD called for a pragmatic China policy. At the same time, criticism was leveled at Foreign Minister Baerbock and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (both Greens). According to the Seeheimer circle, there should be no “one-dimensional German foreign and economic policy” towards China.
China is described as an important partner in addressing global challenges such as climate change, the looming nuclear arms race and the numerous trouble spots. At the same time, China has increasingly developed into a competitor and systemic rival. The federal government is currently developing a new China strategy.
The paper, which was made public during Baerbock’s stay in Beijing, was not well received by the Greens. Bundestag Vice-President Katrin Göring-Eckardt told the “Welt am Sonntag”: “It worries me that the SPD has apparently learned nothing from their Russia policy, which is fatal for Germany. I warn against leading our country into the next dependency”. When dealing with China as an important trading partner, the following must apply: cooperation yes, dependency no. “To make oneself again dependent on authoritarian powers is the opposite of pragmatism.”
State Secretary for Economic Affairs Franziska Brantner, also a Green, told the dpa: “We have to minimize the risks of economic dependencies in relation to China. We are concerned with de-risking and not de-coupling. I also don’t know anyone serious who has a complete calls for the decoupling of our economies.”
A secure supply of energy and raw materials as well as resilient supply chains are central to the business location. The German economy must be made more resilient. “To do this, we turn to the world, we diversify our energy supply, we promote trade agreements and fill raw material partnerships with life. I don’t understand why parts of the SPD now seem to want to turn away from this common course.”
The parliamentary director of the Greens parliamentary group, Irene Mihalic, told the editorial network Germany (Saturday) that she was glad that the foreign minister was not traveling around without courage and profile, “but clearly articulated our interests and values”. “This is the only way to work as equals.”
Audretsch said risks and dependencies on China had to be reduced and core areas of the European economy protected. Specifically, the question is currently being discussed in Hamburg. It was a big mistake that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) prevented the complete ban on the participation of the de facto Chinese state-owned company Cosco in a port terminal there.
The Federal Office for Information Security has now classified the terminal as a critical infrastructure. Audretsch demanded that this lead to a reassessment of the holding. “The federal government should use every opportunity to protect the port from Chinese influence.
After the reassessment of the port terminal, a spokeswoman for Habeck said that since the conditions had changed, the ministry was now examining the effects on the situation. Last October, the federal cabinet decided on a so-called partial ban, which would allow Cosco to acquire a stake in the terminal, but only under 25 percent.
