China policy test for new German leader Olaf Scholz
- Coalition partners may want a tougher line on China, but Chancellor Scholz has stressed his priorities are the European Union and United States
Coalition governments are a feature of German politics and to stay in office, all involved need patience, common sense and compromise.
New chancellor Olaf Scholz will be walking a tightrope in navigating relations with his country’s most important trading partner, China. His view of how ties should be are in line with former leader Angela Merkel, who in 16 years at the helm forged strong links with Beijing that won her the respect of Chinese officials and people alike.
But that era has ended and been replaced by a three-party alliance that perceives Beijing in a markedly different light.
President Xi Jinping sent Scholz a congratulatory note within 10 minutes of the new leader taking office, reflecting Berlin’s importance to Beijing. The message said China and Germany should seek mutual respect and common ground while acknowledging differences.
The chancellor, who was finance minister under Merkel, is known as a pragmatist and is well aware of the economic and technological benefits the nations have reaped from their links.
But the coalition, comprising his centre-left Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens and pro-business Free Democrats, is eager to put the past behind.
At the heart of the approach is a values-based agenda tied to human rights and democracy, starkly different from the previous policy focused on commercial interests.
The challenge was apparent on the eve of Sholz’s swearing-in on Wednesday as the leader of Europe’s biggest economy. Clarifying its foreign policy priorities, the incoming government laid out its strategy as a member of the European Union and towards the United States, Britain, China and Russia.
Scholz was less direct about his China policy, stressing his priorities were the EU and US. That is at odds with new foreign minister and Green Party co-chair Annalena Baerbock, who suggested taking a tougher line on Beijing. Scholz’s pragmatism has to come to the fore as he guides Germany forward.
