| Beijing is portraying Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s business-oriented visit to Germany as a diplomatic success, but experts say its impact on reducing long-running tensions will be limited.
Read William Yang’s report from Taipei
Chinese Premier Li Qiang spent his visit to Germany earlier this week lobbying business and government leaders on the importance of better bilateral cooperation, even as Germany continues to reevaluate its relationship with its largest trading partner amid geopolitical tensions.
Following talks with Li on Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated his position of “de-risking” rather than “decoupling” economic ties with China.
Li told the CEOs of Germany’s industrial giants on Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s intergovernmental talks, that “lack of cooperation is the biggest risk, and lack of development is the biggest insecurity,” China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
China’s European charm offensive
The China-Germany government consultations were the first since the COVID pandemic, and Li’s Europe tour reflects Beijing’s efforts to de-escalate tension between China and European countries.
Over the past 3 years, Sino-European relations have deteriorated over China’s “no limits partnership” with Russia, the growing geopolitical tension across the Taiwan Strait, the ongoing crackdown on the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang and increased control over Hong Kong as well as China’s civil society.
China’s aggressive military expansion in the Indo-Pacific region and growing international ambition have pushed lawmakers and experts in countries across Europe to urge a re-examination of ties with China. |
