Can China’s commitment to opening up heal rift when Xi and Scholz meet?

Name: Chinese heater factories are making a killing as Europe prepares for winter amid gas shortage
Uploaded: 2022-11-01T14:30:16.000Z
Duration: 1 min 32 s
Description: Chinese heater factories are making a killing as Europe prepares for winter amid gas shortage

Germany’s chancellor will be the first Western leader to visit China since the policy was affirmed by the Communist Party’s congress

The two leaders will discuss China’s relations with Germany and the EU, where there are economic and national security concerns

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit China on Friday, the first European and G7 leader to do so since last month’s 20th party congress. Photo: AFP

Kawala Xie

Published: 10:30pm, 1 Nov 2022Updated: 11:22am, 2 Nov 2022

China is expected to affirm its “opening-up” policy and address Europe’s economic and national security concerns when German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Beijing on Friday, experts said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to hold a high-stakes meeting with Scholz, the first European and G7 leader to visit China since its key leadership reshuffle following the Communist Party’s national congress.

China has hosted a series of foreign leaders since the party congress closed on October 22, including from Vietnam and Pakistan, with Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan arriving for a state visit on Wednesday.

Beijing is preparing to welcome Scholz amid concerns over China’s economy and calls for “decoupling”.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the two leaders would hold in-depth communications on China-Germany relations, China-EU relations, the international situation and global governance.

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Chinese heater factories are making a killing as Europe prepares for winter amid gas shortage

Zhao said the intention was “to further consolidate political mutual trust and deepen cooperation between China and Germany, which serves the interests of both sides”.