Scholz under pressure before trip to China

Chancellor Scholz is being warned from several quarters to speak plainly to China. Criticism of his attitude towards Beijing comes from the CDU.

Foreign politicians from the Union and the Greens called on Chancellor OIaf Scholz (SPD) to speak critically towards the Chinese government before a trip to China. The “increasingly violent threats against Taiwan, the aggression in the South China Sea or the serious human rights violations against the Uyghurs” must be addressed clearly critically, says Green Party deputy Agnieszka Brugger to the “Tagesspiegel”. All of this is in “clear contradiction to China’s responsibility as a member of the United Nations Security Council.”

Brugger also explicitly wanted to include criticism of repression in Hong Kong and Beijing’s support for the “Russian war course in Ukraine”. China has asserted its influence over the use of nuclear weapons, and the government in Beijing should also try to do this in order to bring about an end to the violence, said Brugger.

2024-04-12 03:31:32.710 – 1712892692710

Kiesewetter warns against dependencies

The CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter told the newspaper that it would be “desirable” if “the Chancellor, during his visit, also addressed the increasing cyber attacks from China against German companies, espionage and sabotage by China in Germany and Europe, the violations of international law in the Indo-Pacific, human rights violations against minorities in China, the massive support for the Russian war of aggression and the obvious massive military buildup”.

Scholz’s approach contradicts the “necessary strategic change towards China,” said Kiesewetter. “If Germany continues to adhere to appeasement and pursues the false narrative of ‘change through trade’, dependencies and vulnerabilities will only increase.

In an open letter, the World Uyghur Congress called on Scholz to address the Chinese government about the human rights situation in Tibet, East Turkestan, Hong Kong, southern Mongolia and China itself. In addition, Chancellor Scholz is called on to stand up for the rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs, Hongkongers and Chinese people living in Germany.

Taiwan hopes for plain language

Appeals to the Chancellor are also coming from Asia. Taiwan expects Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to give a clear warning against the use of military force against the island republic during his visit to China. Taiwan’s representative in Germany, Jhy-Wey Shieh, acknowledged in an interview with the German Press Agency that Scholz had already sent clear words to the Chinese leadership during his last visit to China in November 2022.

The threats against Taiwan have increased since then. “Maybe the Chinese didn’t really understand the shot back then.” Therefore, it “wouldn’t be bad if Mr. Scholz would say that again clearly in plain language.”

Scholz is traveling to China for three days on Saturday. He will meet President Xi Jinping there, among others. A business delegation accompanies the Chancellor. Ministers Cem Özdemir (Agriculture, Greens), Volker Wissing (Transport, FDP) and Steffi Lemke (Environment, Greens) will also be present.