Before attending a three-day G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, which concluded on Tuesday, German Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock visited China and South Korea.
While in China, she co-chaired with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang (秦剛) the sixth round of the China-Germany Strategic Dialogue on Diplomacy and Security, and met with his predecessor, Chinese Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Wang Yi (王毅).
Baerbock is clearly a hardliner toward China. As a former deputy chair of the German Bundestag’s Berlin-Taipei Parliamentary Circle of Friends, she is not unfamiliar with Taiwan affairs.
She takes a firm stand on human rights issues, especially those concerning Xinjiang and Hong Kong. During her meetings with Chinese leaders, she did not hold back from talking about China’s human rights environment, and she warned China against making any unilateral change to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait.
Baerbock’s visit to China was not expected to produce any substantial benefit. Her main purpose was to warn China to be cautious in its handling of Taiwan. Her statements came as a slap in the face to French President Emmanuel Macron after he said that Europeans should not be “followers” of either the US or China with regard to Taiwan.
Baerbock said in China that tensions around Taiwan directly affect European and global economies, and reiterated that the EU’s position on Taiwan has been consistent and unchanged, adding that Taiwan is a reliable Asian partner for the EU and shares common societal values.
Wang told Baerbock that China had supported the reunification of East and West Germany, and that Germany should likewise support China in achieving a “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan. He even said that Taiwan’s “return” to China was an important part of the post-World War II international order.
Beijing insists that issues regarding Taiwan’s governance are “China’s internal affairs” and it does not tolerate interference by “foreign forces.” Wang said that “Taiwan independence forces” were the real cause of cross-strait tensions.
These statements show that China’s stance regarding Taiwan is completely at odds with that of the free world. Along with other factors such as China’s past “wolf warrior” diplomacy and its attitude toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they give the EU reason to doubt that China is willing to uphold the international order. Its behavior is limiting the scope for preserving the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait.
Baerbock made her position clear. While saying that any military escalation by China would be unacceptable, she added that Germany has no interest in economic decoupling.
However, she said that Germany should learn lessons from its reliance on Russian energy resources and reduce the risk of unilateral dependencies. These are close to the views of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who received a cool reception from China when she accompanied Macron on his visit from April 5 to 7.
Baerbock’s statements were doubtlessly meant to signal to China that playing the economic and trade market card no longer works. They also show that Germany and the EU are prepared for greater economic decoupling from China.
For Germany, the most important element of the Chinese market is automobile manufacturing, but that industry also depends on semiconductors manufactured in Taiwan. Furthermore, the Taiwan Strait is an important international shipping route, so Germany and the EU naturally want to reduce geopolitical risks.
Whether China’s relations with Germany continue as a partner, competitor or systemic rival depends on which path China chooses.
Germany’s attitude has changed from the era of former German chancellor Angela Merkel. Baerbock’s China visit could be interpreted as a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) that Germany would not take the side of the invader.
Hong Tsun-ming, who is originally from Hong Kong, is a specialist in the Taiwan Statebuilding Party’s international section.
Translated by Julian Clegg
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