Coronavirus: Germany ‘rejected China’s bid for positive spin’ on pandemic response
- German officials say requests by Chinese counterparts to have disease management shown in favourable light were not granted
- Berlin needs stronger response to Beijing’s attempts to influence public debate, analyst says
They also come as some Conservative Party parliamentarians in Britain have formed a new group to reassess relations with China.
According to the German interior ministry, Chinese diplomats approached German government officials to encourage them to speak out in favour of Beijing’s response to the pandemic.
“The German government is aware of individual contacts made by Chinese diplomats with the aim of effecting positive public statements on the coronavirus management by the People’s Republic of China,” the ministry said in a letter to the Bundestag. “The federal government has not complied with these requests.”
The letter, dated April 22, was sent to Green Party legislator Margarete Bause, one of the fiercest critics in Germany of the Chinese Communist Party, in response to her question on whether Chinese diplomats had contacted German officials with the goal of encouraging them to make positive remarks.
The ministry said the government had acknowledged China’s efforts to contain the pandemic, particularly since January 23, even without being asked to do so by Beijing.