German ambassador Michael Clauss on relations with China, the challenges and potential

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, German ambassador to China Michael Clauss gave his assessment on Sino-German relations despite their disagreement on some political issues. Here is a transcript of the interview.

1. Germany’s intelligence service has released details of Chinese social media profiles they say were faked by Chinese intelligence to gather personal information about German officials and politicians. Meanwhile there was an incident involving the Chinese U20 soccer team in Mainz some weeks ago – over Tibet – and the Chinese team’s tour of Germany has been suspended. What’s your view on the two issues?

Actually there were three cases recently which caused some unwanted irritations in our bilateral relations and caught extensive media coverage. As to the findings of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), I would like to point out that in June 2016, Germany and China agreed to establish a consultation mechanism on cyber issues during the last Sino-German government consultations. Up to now this consultation mechanism, where these findings could have been discussed, has not yet seen the light of day. I expect the Chinese side to join us in setting up the agreed upon cyber consultation mechanism by early 2018.

Football has great potential to bring our people closer together on an emotional level. I think this is definitely worthwhile. I am therefore confident that the ongoing contact between the German Football Association and their Chinese counterparts will soon lead to a solution that takes into consideration both Chinese political sensitivities and our constitutional right to free expression of opinion.

In addition to those issues let me just add the recent controversy on the role of the Communist Party in foreign equity joint ventures. We learned about several cases where foreign partners in joint ventures have been asked to amend the articles of association with the purpose of giving party cells a role on the management board. Recently we were pleased to receive encouraging signals from the State Council and higher levels of the party that party cells shall not have a role in management boards of foreign equity joint ventures. Therefore, I hope that party and state authorities at all levels, national and regional, will act accordingly.

2. Will these issues cast a cloud over bilateral relations between China and Germany?