Dealing With China Must Change

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BERLIN — Berlin must change the way it deals with China as the country staggers back onto a more open “Marxist-Leninist” political trajectory, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote in a comment on Thursday.

In his article for POLITICO and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Scholz defended his trip to China on Thursday, but emphasized that German companies must take measures to reduce “risky dependencies” in industrial supply chains, especially with regard to “modern technologies.” Scholz noted that President Xi Jinping is deliberately pursuing a political strategy to make international companies dependent on China.

“The outcome of the just-concluded Communist Party Congress is clear: commitments to Marxism-Leninism occupy a much broader space than the conclusions of previous congresses… As China changes, the way we do things must change deal with China, too,” wrote Scholz.

Germany has faced scathing criticism for forcing Europe into a strategically disastrous dependence on Russian gas in recent years, and Berlin must now defend itself against suggestions that it is making the exact same mistakes by relying on China as a manufacturing base and trading partner leaves.

While Scholz signaled a warning on China, he was far from suggesting that Germany is on the verge of a major turnaround in its largely comfortable relations with China. In fact, he was clearly echoing his predecessor, Angela Merkel, when she insisted that the (unnamed but apparently identified) United States should not drag Germany into a new Cold War against Beijing.

“Germany of all places, which had such painful experiences of division during the Cold War, has no interest in new blocs emerging in the world,” he wrote. “For China, of course, this means that this country with its 1.4 billion inhabitants and its economic power will continue to play a key role on the world stage in the future – as it has for much of history.”

In a thinly veiled criticism of Washington’s policies, Scholz said Beijing’s rise does not justify “calls by some to isolate China.”

Crucially, he insisted the goal was not to “decouple” from China — or sever manufacturing ties. However, he added that he takes “seriously” a claim by President Xi that Beijing’s goal is “to increase the dependence of international production chains on China.”

Scholz plans to fly to Beijing late Thursday for a one-day trip to the Chinese capital on Friday, where he will become the first Western leader to meet Xi since his reappointment and the first leader of the G7 group of leading economies Visit China since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chancellor also wanted to counter the criticism that his trip undermined a common European approach to China. According to French officials, President Emmanuel Macron had suggested that he and Scholz should visit Xi together to demonstrate unity and show that Beijing cannot divide European countries by pitting their economic interests against one another – an initiative endorsed by the German leader refused.

“German China policy can only be successful if it is embedded in European China policy,” wrote Scholz. “In the run-up to my visit, we therefore worked closely with our European partners, including President Macron, and also with our transatlantic friends.”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed his predecessor Angela Merkel in insisting that the United States should not drag Germany into a new Cold War against Beijing | Clemens Bilan-Pool/Getty Images

Scholz said he wanted Germany and the EU to work with an emerging China – including on the important issue of climate change – rather than trying to stamp it out.

At the same time, he warned Beijing against pursuing policies that strive for “hegemonic Chinese dominance or even a Sinocentric world order”.

Scholz also urged China to end its support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and take a more critical stance towards Moscow: “As a permanent member of the [United Nations] Security Council, China bears a special responsibility,” he wrote. “Clear words from Beijing to Moscow are important – to ensure that the Charter of the United Nations and its principles are respected.”