https://www.scmp.com/rss/325097/feed German Chancellor Angela Merkel was first elected in 2005, making her the longest-serving leader in the European Union. Her party, the Christian Democratic Union, is the major party of the country's centre-right, although the nature of German politics means coalition governments are common. In leading her party to three election victories, Merkel has developed a reputation for pragmatism and resolute but low-key leadership. Within Europe, she has been a committed proponent of greater integration... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s diplomatic balancing act during his visit to China last month marked a sharp contrast with a European Union grappling with geopolitical upheaval and economic stagnation. Sanchez pushed for closer ties with Beijing while raising concerns over a persistent bilateral trade deficit and the Ukraine war, an approach that analysts said could serve as a diplomatic template for Brussels amid its fraying relationship with Washington. According to Wang Hanyi, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353031/could-spains-compliment-sandwich-approach-china-work-eu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353031/could-spains-compliment-sandwich-approach-china-work-eu?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 09:00:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Berlin court on Thursday jailed a Syrian man for 13 years for a jihadist-inspired knife attack on a Spanish tourist at the German capital’s Holocaust memorial. The 20-year-old suspect, named only as Wassim Al M., was convicted of attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and attempted membership of a terrorist organisation, the court said. The stabbing in February 2025 inflamed an already heated debate on migration just a few days before a general election in Germany. Presiding judge Doris Husch... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345567/berlin-jails-man-13-years-over-stabbing-holocaust-memorial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345567/berlin-jails-man-13-years-over-stabbing-holocaust-memorial?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:32:26 +0000 dpa dpa Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Wednesday accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of failing to show “solidarity” with Madrid in the face of criticism from US President Donald Trump. Albares told broadcaster RTVE that he had communicated his “surprise” over the chancellor’s response to Trump’s tirade against Spain in a White House meeting on Tuesday. “When you share a currency, a common trade policy and a common market with another country, you expect the same solidarity that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345459/germanys-merz-lacked-solidarity-amid-silence-during-trump-attacks-spain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345459/germanys-merz-lacked-solidarity-amid-silence-during-trump-attacks-spain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:42:30 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who made his first visit to China since taking office, have pledged to boost ties as they rebalance relations amid global uncertainties. The diplomatic language reflects some compelling pragmatic considerations. As the most important industrial and economic power in Europe, Germany’s stance will help shape China’s relationship with the European Union. Merz’s visit shows that despite trade tensions Germany realises it needs to work... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344750/merzs-beijing-trip-shows-germany-realises-it-needs-work-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344750/merzs-beijing-trip-shows-germany-realises-it-needs-work-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Wearing no trousers, with his tongue sticking out and dancing with ‌the Statue of Liberty, the figure of US President Donald Trump ‍will feature at a German carnival celebration as one of the traditionally satirical and provocative floats. Organisers showcased the various figures in the city of Mainz in western Germany on ⁠Tuesday. They also included Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a sinking boat, with his conservative predecessor and erstwhile rival, Angela Merkel, spearing the boat with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343108/trumps-cheeky-dance-statue-liberty-headline-german-carnival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343108/trumps-cheeky-dance-statue-liberty-headline-german-carnival?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:04:14 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Three news items caught my eye over the past few days. The European Union is finally ready to totally ban the import of Russian natural gas. (You mean they have still been buying Russian gas?) The new National Defence Strategy put out by the Pentagon says the United States will de-prioritise Europe – which must address its own regional security needs – and focus on deterring China. And former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder wrote a piece in a newspaper that ended up drawing a lot of flak for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341636/when-doubt-eu-leaders-dig-even-bigger-hole?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341636/when-doubt-eu-leaders-dig-even-bigger-hole?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Chinese President Xi Jinping received a unique gift from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Beijing on Thursday: the official match ball from Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Arsenal, according to media reports. Starmer is on an official visit to China, the first by a British leader since 2018 and while he is an ardent Arsenal fan, Xi is reportedly a supporter of Manchester United. The gift linked two of the English Premier League’s most celebrated teams and was part of broader efforts to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341733/chinas-xi-britains-starmer-hopes-gift-manchester-united-match-ball-scores-points?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341733/chinas-xi-britains-starmer-hopes-gift-manchester-united-match-ball-scores-points?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:34:37 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng By any measure, 2025 will be remembered as a tipping point. Violent armed conflict escalated in many areas, notably Ukraine, Israel-Gaza-Iran-Lebanon, Pakistan-India, Thailand-Cambodia, Venezuela, Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar. It was also among the three hottest years on record and one of the most expensive for natural disaster costs. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s tariff wars inflicted trade uncertainty and strategically shifted global supply chains. Technology witnessed massive leaps in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3338435/can-europe-survive-its-crippling-paralysis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3338435/can-europe-survive-its-crippling-paralysis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 21:30:10 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial As two of the world’s economic powerhouses, Germany and China have much to offer each other. Alas, relations have significantly worsened since the end of the Angela Merkel era. As a key part of the European Union and the US-led Western alliance system, Berlin has taken a hardline stance towards Beijing in recent years. It has been a difficult relationship for China to manage as Germany swings from political hostility to economic pragmatism. The latest visit by German Foreign Minister Johann... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3335845/time-germany-see-reason-and-improve-relations-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3335845/time-germany-see-reason-and-improve-relations-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Friedrich Merz succeeded on Tuesday in his bid to become the next German chancellor during a second vote in parliament, hours after he suffered a historic defeat in the first round. The conservative leader had been expected to smoothly win the vote to become Germany’s 10th chancellor since World War II. No other post-war candidate for chancellor has failed to win on the first ballot. Merz received 325 votes in the second ballot. He needed a majority of 316 out of 630 votes, but only received 310... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3309251/germanys-friedrich-merz-fails-be-elected-chancellor-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3309251/germanys-friedrich-merz-fails-be-elected-chancellor-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 08:23:41 +0000 Reuters Reuters German conservatives under Friedrich Merz agreed a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Wednesday, aiming to revive growth in Europe’s largest economy just as a global trade war threatens recession. The deal caps weeks of haggling between chancellor-in-waiting Merz and the SPD after he topped elections in February but fell well short of a majority, with the far-right Alternative for Germany surging into second place. Pressure to reach a deal has taken on new urgency as... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3305882/germanys-merz-gets-coalition-deal-eyes-reviving-growth-global-trade-war-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3305882/germanys-merz-gets-coalition-deal-eyes-reviving-growth-global-trade-war-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Apr 2025 12:48:42 +0000 For decades, Germany prided itself on fiscal restraint, wielding the Schuldenbremse, or debt brake, as both shield and creed, a safeguard against excess and a symbol of post-war prudence. But in an era of resurgent Russian aggression and global upheaval, that restraint has become a liability. Now in a historic pivot, Germany has shed its self-imposed shackles, embracing power and reshaping Europe’s security order for generations to come. The Bundestag last week took a step that reverberated... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3303612/why-germany-cant-afford-not-spend-billions-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3303612/why-germany-cant-afford-not-spend-billions-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 12:30:08 +0000 After German voters sent the opposition conservatives led by Friedrich Merz to victory in their national election on Sunday, conventional wisdom would suggest that China brace for fraught relations with the largest and most populous economy in Europe. Merz, set to become the next chancellor but still facing coalition talks, had regularly labelled China an increasing threat to German security and advocated for better coordination with European allies to counter Beijing. But recent pressures on... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3300121/germanys-ties-china-sacrosanct-no-matter-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3300121/germanys-ties-china-sacrosanct-no-matter-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:30:15 +0000 Germany’s conservatives won the national election on Sunday but a fractured vote handed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) its best result in second place and left conservative leader Friedrich Merz facing messy coalition talks. Merz, who has no previous experience in office, is set to become chancellor with Europe’s largest economy ailing, its society split over migration and its security caught between a confrontational US and an assertive Russia and China. After the collapse of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3299831/german-conservatives-win-election-far-right-afd-surges-exit-polls-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3299831/german-conservatives-win-election-far-right-afd-surges-exit-polls-show?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Feb 2025 17:38:47 +0000 The Munich Security Conference drew to a close on Sunday with a promising message for European Union candidate countries Albania and Montenegro. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said Albania and Montenegro are the “front-runners” among the current candidates for EU accession and that their continuing negotiations could be concluded by the end of 2026 or 2027. She added that North Macedonia could also be “very, very quickly on a good path”. Kos has been an EU commissioner since last year and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3298919/munich-security-conference-ends-message-hope-eu-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3298919/munich-security-conference-ends-message-hope-eu-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Feb 2025 17:34:46 +0000 Germany’s conservative opposition leader, the favourite to be the next chancellor, said on Saturday a new government should be in place within two months of federal elections on February 23. CDU leader Friedrich Merz said he hoped a new coalition could be formed “by Easter”, were he and his party to come first in the poll. The goal was “ambitious”, Merz said, with Easter Sunday falling on April 20, exactly eight weeks after Germans go to vote. “We need to make a few decisions by the summer break... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3297904/german-chancellor-hopeful-urges-quick-coalition-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3297904/german-chancellor-hopeful-urges-quick-coalition-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Feb 2025 10:00:17 +0000 Since the end of World War II, Europe has thrived under the protective umbrella of the United States. Pax Americana, established through Nato and an enduring transatlantic partnership, allowed European nations to flourish, focusing on rebuilding their economies and societies while American military might deterred threats. This security arrangement is the cornerstone of Europe’s post-war stability and prosperity. Yet with Donald Trump back in the White House, the era of unquestioned American... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3296500/can-europe-use-trumps-return-reform-its-defence-capabilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3296500/can-europe-use-trumps-return-reform-its-defence-capabilities?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2025 12:30:09 +0000 European countries put asylum applications from Syrians on hold until further notice on Monday after rebels seized the Syrian capital and President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia following 13 years of civil war. The decision, which affects tens of thousands of open claims, reflects the rapidly changing political situation in Syria as well as a resurgence of right-wing parties across Europe keen to restrict immigration. Germany opened its doors wide to a surge of asylum seekers in 2015 at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3290064/european-countries-suspend-syrian-asylum-decisions-after-fall-assad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3290064/european-countries-suspend-syrian-asylum-decisions-after-fall-assad?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:04:00 +0000 Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that he had deliberately used his black Labrador Koni to intimidate German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a meeting in 2007 that became a notorious diplomatic incident. Merkel wrote in her new memoir Freedom that, knowing Putin sometimes brought the pet to meetings with foreign guests, she had asked an aide the previous year to request Putin’s team not to bring out Koni in her presence because she was afraid of dogs. When they met in Moscow in 2006, she said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3288593/russias-putin-denies-he-tried-frighten-germanys-merkel-his-dog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3288593/russias-putin-denies-he-tried-frighten-germanys-merkel-his-dog?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2024 02:19:52 +0000 This article has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. The European Union is planning for talks with Donald Trump’s transition team as it seeks to head off a major economic and political shock after his convincing victory in Tuesday’s US presidential election. High on their wish list will be keeping the tap open for US funds to flow to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3285492/eu-has-wish-list-trump-support-his-tough-china-agenda-will-be-expected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3285492/eu-has-wish-list-trump-support-his-tough-china-agenda-will-be-expected?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:41:32 +0000 Shortly before new European Union tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to enter into force, a former economic adviser to Angela Merkel urged both sides to reach a solution through settlement and avoid “punitive” measures. With the EU’s 27 member states slated to hold a crucial vote on Friday over additional duties of up to 35.3 per cent on the country's EVs – a hefty increase which could remain in effect for five years – Lars-Hendrik Roller suggested officials from both... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3280962/china-eu-must-reason-their-way-out-ev-dispute-former-merkel-adviser-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3280962/china-eu-must-reason-their-way-out-ev-dispute-former-merkel-adviser-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Oct 2024 14:00:08 +0000 Ahead of President Xi Jinping’s three-nation tour of Europe starting on Sunday, Brussels has cranked up the pressure on Beijing with a series of blistering salvoes intended to send strong political messages to the Chinese leadership. European Union trade, competition and digital authorities have been cracking down on Chinese firms in increasingly dramatic fashion, while its sanctions officers are turning up the heat on companies accused of funnelling European-made goods to Russia’s war... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3261372/eu-turns-heat-china-xi-jinping-readies-3-nation-tour-fiery-paris-talks-cards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3261372/eu-turns-heat-china-xi-jinping-readies-3-nation-tour-fiery-paris-talks-cards?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 14:00:27 +0000 Whether Berlin would walk back economic relations with Beijing has been the subject of heated debates over the past few years. However, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to China this week shows that realism and a self-survival instinct continue to trump idealism in geopolitics – even in Germany. Scholz ended his three-day visit on Tuesday with a private meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Beforehand, Scholz said there was a lot to discuss, especially how Xi could “contribute more to a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3259323/why-germany-has-little-choice-continue-cosy-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3259323/why-germany-has-little-choice-continue-cosy-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:30:23 +0000 Li Keqiang, who retired as China’s premier earlier this year, died of a heart attack at the age of 68 in Shanghai early on Friday morning. In an official obituary, state media hailed Li as “an outstanding leader of the party and the state” and described his death as a “huge loss” for China. It did not elaborate on the circumstances or exact cause of his death. The sudden passing of the soft-spoken leader, whom many called “the people’s premier”, shocked the nation. Within hours of the news... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3239502/li-keqiang-former-premier-had-fatal-heart-attack-during-swim-shanghai-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3239502/li-keqiang-former-premier-had-fatal-heart-attack-during-swim-shanghai-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:33:21 +0000 Speculation about whether Germany would make a U-turn on China post-Angela Merkel was rampant when Olaf Scholz’s government was sworn in, in December 2021. Unlike in previous election campaigns, where foreign policy was mostly an afterthought, China emerged as a controversial topic. As a candidate for the German leadership, Annalena Baerbock – now foreign minister – behaved like a quasi-China hawk and demanded a realignment of relations while Scholz remained a wild card for the longest time,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3237126/despite-de-risking-talk-germany-has-not-turned-away-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3237126/despite-de-risking-talk-germany-has-not-turned-away-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Oct 2023 12:30:14 +0000 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim Coining a word from a person’s name – an eponym – is not a novel idea. In many cases, it is not particularly complimentary. To be Machiavellian – cunning, opportunist, unscrupulous, manipulative, amoral, especially in politics – comes from Italian political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli’s name, and the political principles and methods of expediency, craftiness and duplicity set forth in his 16th century treatise Il Principe (The Prince). The early 19th century saw the term gerrymandering... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3218671/gerrymander-macroning-short-history-eponyms-words-coined-peoples-names?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3218671/gerrymander-macroning-short-history-eponyms-words-coined-peoples-names?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Apr 2023 06:15:07 +0000 Those who followed German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s visit to China might believe that Sino-German relations are deteriorating. However, Baerbock’s stance on China by no means represents the entire German government. Chancellor Olaf Scholz will have the final say on China, and he has already indicated that a paradigm shift in this regard is unlikely. Partner, competitor or systemic rival? Since taking office in December 2021, Baerbock has emphasised that she seeks to shape a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3217690/german-anti-china-policy-dont-hold-your-breath?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3217690/german-anti-china-policy-dont-hold-your-breath?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:30:10 +0000 Germany will switch off its last three nuclear reactors on Saturday, exiting atomic power even as it seeks to wean itself off fossil fuels and manage an energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. While many Western countries are upping their investments in atomic energy to reduce their emissions, Germany is bringing an early end to its nuclear age. Europe’s largest economy has been looking to leave behind nuclear power since 2002, but the phase-out was accelerated by former chancellor Angela... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3217188/germany-bids-farewell-nuclear-era-it-powers-down-last-3-reactors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3217188/germany-bids-farewell-nuclear-era-it-powers-down-last-3-reactors?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Apr 2023 10:50:29 +0000 On the seismic scale of intelligence leaks, the latest from the Pentagon appears to be much less significant and damaging than those released by Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks in the past decade. It is still extremely embarrassing for Washington. A 21-year-old Air National Guardsman has been arrested. He was involved in a social media platform used by only dozens of people, where the documents first surfaced. Despite the arrest, it’s still unclear whether the leak was a hack or a disinformation... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3217155/us-intelligence-fiasco-wake-call-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3217155/us-intelligence-fiasco-wake-call-all?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Apr 2023 21:12:53 +0000 While no background factor can excuse Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Western powers are not “uninvolved bystanders who had no role to play” in the situation that led to the ongoing conflict, a top Singapore minister has said. In a keynote address on the war’s implications for Southeast Asia, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam sought to underscore that the background of the conflict was far more complicated than had been portrayed by mainstream news. Amid the complexities of the conflict,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3212847/russian-aggression-ukraine-inexcusable-west-not-uninvolved-bystanders-singapore-minister-k-shanmugam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3212847/russian-aggression-ukraine-inexcusable-west-not-uninvolved-bystanders-singapore-minister-k-shanmugam?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:13:58 +0000 Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel received a Unesco peace prize on Wednesday for her decision to welcome more than 1.2 million migrants to Germany despite resistance at home and among European partners. Organisers said that Merkel showed political courage when Germany welcomed refugees in 2015-2016 who had fled conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea. Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege, president of the jury awarding the prize, praised Merkel for having opened the gates of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3209555/germanys-merkel-receives-unesco-peace-prize-political-courage-welcoming-migrants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3209555/germanys-merkel-receives-unesco-peace-prize-political-courage-welcoming-migrants?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Feb 2023 16:02:52 +0000 Germany’s much-criticised defence minister announced her resignation on Monday, as her department steers the massive project of modernising the country’s military and oversees expanding weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Christine Lambrecht said in a statement that she had submitted her resignation request to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, adding that “months of media focus on my person” had stood in the way of a factual debate about the military and Germany’s security policy. “The valuable work of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3207004/germanys-defence-minister-resigns-amid-ukraine-criticism-months-media-focus-my-person?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3207004/germanys-defence-minister-resigns-amid-ukraine-criticism-months-media-focus-my-person?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jan 2023 10:18:58 +0000 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been in office for a year. Besides his stoic nature and his reluctance to communicate political plans in detail, his European policy has been subject to criticism including a “Germany First” agenda, unilateralism towards China and disregard for the French. For the German head of government, who seeks to fill the void Angela Merkel left behind as de facto leader of Europe, it is an indefensible track record and adjustments need to be made. The Scholz-led... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3203941/scholzs-approach-europe-and-china-risks-leading-germany-down-path-old-failures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3203941/scholzs-approach-europe-and-china-risks-leading-germany-down-path-old-failures?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Dec 2022 19:30:12 +0000 The German government has backed a controversial deal allowing Chinese state-owned shipping giant Cosco to buy a stake in a terminal at its busiest port, despite multiple federal ministries warning that it would be a national security risk. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet on Wednesday gave the green light to a compromise whereby Cosco would buy a stake “below 25 per cent” of Tollerort container terminal, owned by Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA). The Chinese company wanted a 35 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3197359/germany-backs-chinas-cosco-shipping-hamburg-port-bid-despite-national-security-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3197359/germany-backs-chinas-cosco-shipping-hamburg-port-bid-despite-national-security-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Oct 2022 14:32:07 +0000 This year marks a significant anniversary for German-Sino relations. On October 11, 1972, the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany established official diplomatic ties. In the years since, both sides have benefited enormously. Recently, however, the relationship seems tense, and the two countries would be well-advised to return to their former virtues. Half a century ago, in the middle of the Cold War, Foreign Minister Walter Scheel and his Chinese counterpart Ji... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3195667/germany-and-chinas-50-year-relationship-has-taken-disappointing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3195667/germany-and-chinas-50-year-relationship-has-taken-disappointing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Oct 2022 17:00:07 +0000 Former German chancellor Angela Merkel is to be awarded the UN refugee body’s prestigious award on Monday, in recognition of the way her country accepted more than 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers in the 2015 and 2016. “Angela Merkel has shown great moral and political courage by helping more than one million refugees to survive and rebuild,” said High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi of the Nansen Refugee Award. Merkel showed what could be achieved when politicians act... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3195476/germanys-angela-merkel-receive-prestigious-un-prize-handling-2015?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3195476/germanys-angela-merkel-receive-prestigious-un-prize-handling-2015?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Oct 2022 11:39:40 +0000 Liz Truss, Britain’s former foreign secretary, has been chosen to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister, beating former chancellor Rishi Sunak in the race for the top job. For the third time in history, a woman will lead the country. Very “girlboss”. But does it mean that Britain will become a better place to be a woman? Not necessarily. In the case of Truss, her policy proposals, admiration for Margaret Thatcher and loyalty towards Johnson do not augur well for the cause of women’s... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3191811/why-expect-liz-truss-tackle-sexism-and-womens-issues-especially?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3191811/why-expect-liz-truss-tackle-sexism-and-womens-issues-especially?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:30:16 +0000 Relations between China and Germany go back a long way and have intensified since diplomatic relations were established in 1972 under German chancellor Willy Brandt. Since then, both sides have benefited greatly in areas such as science, technology and education – as well as trade, key to the flourishing cooperation. A rising China needs Germany and the rest of Europe as markets for its products to ensure economic growth. Germany needs China for its manufacturing, particularly in electronics and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3184683/putins-war-ukraine-must-not-be-allowed-undo-decades-sino-german?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3184683/putins-war-ukraine-must-not-be-allowed-undo-decades-sino-german?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Jul 2022 17:30:20 +0000 Former German chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday defended her policy of detente towards Moscow while in office, saying she had “nothing to apologise for” even as the Ukraine war casts a pall on her legacy. In her first major interview since stepping down six months ago, Merkel insisted she had not been naive in her dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Diplomacy isn’t wrong just because it hasn’t worked,” the 67-year-old said on stage in a Berlin theatre, in an interview broadcast on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3180800/amid-ukraine-war-angela-merkel-defends-her-russia-legacy-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3180800/amid-ukraine-war-angela-merkel-defends-her-russia-legacy-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jun 2022 23:49:01 +0000 Powerful European lawmakers are pushing to designate alleged human rights abuses against Uygurs and other ethnic Muslims in Xinjiang as “genocide” in a resolution set to reach the Parliament this week. The motion enjoys the support of four of the biggest parties in the European Parliament, the Post understands, meaning it appears likely to succeed. These are: the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the centrist Renew Group, the left of centre Socialist and Democrats (S&Ds) and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3180663/eu-lawmakers-push-designate-human-rights-conditions-xinjiang-genocide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3180663/eu-lawmakers-push-designate-human-rights-conditions-xinjiang-genocide?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jun 2022 21:06:48 +0000 Months after taking over from German chancellor Angela Merkel, Olaf Scholz and his Social Democrats (SPD) have suffered their second loss at the ballot box within two weeks in a key election seen as a test of national government policy. The opposition Christian Democrats (CDU) won the most votes in Sunday’s election in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, while voter support for the SPD fell to a historic new low, according to projections from German public broadcasters ARD and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3177860/olaf-scholzs-social-democrats-party-hits-record-low-rivals-cdu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3177860/olaf-scholzs-social-democrats-party-hits-record-low-rivals-cdu?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 May 2022 19:40:20 +0000 Germany seeks closer ties with countries that share democratic values in the Asia-Pacific region, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday, visiting Japan rather than top trading partner China during his first official trip to the region. “It is no coincidence that my first trip as chancellor to this region has led today here, to Tokyo,” he said. “My trip is a clear political signal that Germany and the EU will continue and intensify their engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.” In a joint news... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3175905/germanys-olaf-scholz-visits-japan-not-china-first-asia-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3175905/germanys-olaf-scholz-visits-japan-not-china-first-asia-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Apr 2022 18:20:52 +0000 Germany is expected to remain an investment hotspot for China after it unveils new overseas spending priorities at the National People’s Congress this month, despite uncertainty following the retirement of chancellor Angela Merkel, who was praised for her pragmatic approach to bilateral ties. China’s top officials will lay out major economic policies for the year at the “two sessions” – the annual meetings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3169081/china-germany-investment-faces-challenges-rivalry-grows-post-merkel-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3169081/china-germany-investment-faces-challenges-rivalry-grows-post-merkel-era?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Mar 2022 16:00:26 +0000 The German approach of dealing with Russia, with its perilous naivety of relying on dialogue, appeasement and cooperation, has failed. Two previous chancellors, Gerhard Schröder and Angela Merkel, were not inclined to face the reality that Vladimir Putin’s goal was never peaceful coexistence but aggression and territorial expansion. More than ever, a paradigm shift is a sine qua non. It’s the year 2001. Chancellor Schröder has invited his friend Putin to give a speech in the Bundestag. Standing... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3168865/germanys-u-turn-russia-underlines-its-failed-policy-appeasement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3168865/germanys-u-turn-russia-underlines-its-failed-policy-appeasement?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Mar 2022 17:00:16 +0000 Frank-Walter Steinmeier was elected to a second term as Germany’s president on Sunday as a special assembly voted the veteran politician, seen as a symbol of consensus and continuity, back in to the prominent yet largely ceremonial post. Steinmeier’s election by secret ballot by a majority of the assembly for another five years was widely expected, amid broad support from most of Germany’s major parties during a time of global turmoil and following a recent change of government. Chancellor Olaf... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3166905/favouring-continuity-germany-re-elects-frank-walter-steinmeier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3166905/favouring-continuity-germany-re-elects-frank-walter-steinmeier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Feb 2022 16:37:48 +0000 “Stuff happens,” former US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in 2003 at the height of US power, in response to the looting in Iraq following the US-led invasion. Such a cavalier attitude from America will seem out of place in the changing world order today. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which covers about 30 per cent of the world’s population and GDP, came into effect on January 1, and an EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment is expected to follow. While much has... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3163776/china-and-russia-us-should-no-longer-expect-world-follow-its-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3163776/china-and-russia-us-should-no-longer-expect-world-follow-its-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jan 2022 17:30:27 +0000 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberal Democrats got to work as Germany’s new government on December 8, ushering in a new chapter after 16 years of Angela Merkel’s leadership. Although the three parties have vowed to overcome differences for the good of the nation, there are gaps that mere goodwill gestures and rhetoric may not be able to bridge. Above all, Germany’s future foreign policy is likely to become a matter of contention. The issues are... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3159829/germanys-olaf-scholz-unlikely-change-tack-china-despite-calls-get?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3159829/germanys-olaf-scholz-unlikely-change-tack-china-despite-calls-get?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Dec 2021 17:30:14 +0000 French President Emmanuel Macron hailed a “convergence of views” with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday as the two men met for their first talks as leaders. Macron and Scholz, both pro-EU centrists, are the new tandem in charge of Europe’s biggest economies that have the greatest influence inside the 27-member European Union. Scholz, a Social Democrat, heads a new coalition whose commitment to strengthening Europe’s “strategic sovereignty” has raised hopes of progress in the fervently... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3159298/emmanuel-macron-hails-dear-olaf-scholz-europes-new-power-couple?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3159298/emmanuel-macron-hails-dear-olaf-scholz-europes-new-power-couple?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Dec 2021 18:32:00 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping moved quickly to congratulate Angela Merkel’s successor as German chancellor, doing so almost immediately after Olaf Scholz’s appointment was confirmed. In a note sent on Wednesday less than 10 minutes after Scholz took office, Xi said China and Germany should seek mutual respect and common ground while acknowledging their differences. The sentiments echoed Xi’s previous exchanges with German politicians, but China’s eagerness to establish contact may reflect how... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3159100/xi-jinping-notably-quick-greet-olaf-scholz-china-seeks-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3159100/xi-jinping-notably-quick-greet-olaf-scholz-china-seeks-new?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Dec 2021 12:37:52 +0000 Germany’s parliament elected Olaf Scholz as the country’s ninth post-World War II chancellor on Wednesday, opening a new era for the European Union’s most populous nation and largest economy after Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure. Scholz’s government takes office with high hopes of modernising Germany and combating climate change but faces the immediate challenge of handling the country’s toughest phase yet of the coronavirus pandemic. Lawmakers voted by 395-303 to elect Scholz as chancellor, with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3158940/olaf-scholz-takes-reins-angela-merkel-ushering-new-german-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3158940/olaf-scholz-takes-reins-angela-merkel-ushering-new-german-era?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Dec 2021 10:54:08 +0000