德外长访华回国 不再天真 放弃贸易促转变

 

德外长声称：不再“天真”，放弃这项对华政策

杨蓉 [e-mail] 2023-04-20  观察者网

近日结束访华的德国外交部长贝尔伯克19日声称，德国不希望在对华政策上“重蹈覆辙”，将放弃试图“以贸易促转变”的“天真想法”。不过，她同时强调，与中国合作并保持经济联系非常重要。

据路透社报道，贝尔伯克当天在联邦议院（议会下院）接受质询时谈到最近的中国之行，形容此访“某些部分不止是令人震惊”。报道说，尽管外长没有详细说明具体细节，但她声称中国变得对外界“更具攻击性”。

贝尔伯克重申了欧盟内部的说法，即中国是德国的竞争对手、合作伙伴以及系统性对手。但她同时补充称，中国之行给她的印象是，“（中国作为）竞争对手的一面正在增加”。

路透社报道截图

贝尔伯克声称，德国政府希望继续与中国合作，但不希望在对华关系上继续“重蹈覆辙”。路透社称，这指的是德国长期以来“以贸易促转变”（Wandel durch Handel）的对华政策，即希望通过加强贸易连结对中国施加政治影响。

另据德国《明镜周刊》19日报道，尽管贝尔伯克认为德国不应继续“天真”，但她同时承认中国仍然是德国最大的贸易伙伴，保持良好双边经济关系非常重要。“我们不能绕过中国。”她明确表示，德国政府希望“将风险降到最低”，但这并不代表“与中国脱钩”。

贝尔伯克此次访问，正值德国乃至欧洲调整对华政策、对中国认识进一步加深之际。德国外交部当前正在主导制定新的对华战略，从已经披露的内容来看，相关草案要求德国在对华外交时采取更加强硬的立场，以贝尔伯克为首的官员一直警告德国企业“与中国做生意时要更谨慎”。

然而，这份“中国战略”也因“过于严厉”而难以推进。《纽约时报》12日报道指出，德国经济两大“引擎”——大众汽车和化工公司巴斯夫正在扩大对华投资。不少德企高管们表示，在华投资和合作对其企业在欧洲的蓬勃发展而言至关重要。德国《明镜》周刊此前认为，贝尔伯克此行给了德国外交部调整的机会，最终文件可将有关收获写入。

针对中德关系，国务委员兼外长秦刚14日曾在第六轮中德外交与安全战略对话后的记者会上指出，发展好中德双边关系，关键在于开展全方位交流，增进战略互信，避免战略误判。中德是独立国家，相互认知和交往也应是独立自主的。中德是伙伴不是对手，德方制定涉华战略文件时应从中德两国和两国人民的切身利益和福祉出发，作出正确的政治选择。中德要合作不要对抗，无论零和对抗还是集团对抗都要不得。

秦刚表示，经贸合作是两国关系的压舱石，互利共赢是中德务实合作的“底色”。中德在产供链上的依存关系，是经济全球化的必然结果，也是市场规则下的最优选择。只要双方均保持开放，就没有必要担心所谓的“依赖”。中德经贸额长期占中欧经贸总额近3成，但我们从未担心对德“过度依赖”，也从不认为这会给中国带来什么“风险”。人为给正常的经贸合作踩刹车，将适得其反、得不偿失。

 

Germany's Baerbock says parts of China trip 'shocking'

https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-baerbock-says-parts-of-china-trip-shocking/a-65375303 

2023-04-20 

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Germany should continue close ties to China but "not be naive" and avoid repeating mistakes like its "change through trade" policy toward Russia.

https://p.dw.com/p/4QJ6N 

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has described parts of her recent trip to China as "more than shocking." The minister did not elaborate on specifics, but the comment was made after she noted that China has become more repressive internally and aggressive externally.

 

Baerbock made the remarks addressing the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, on Wednesday.

She said China has been seen as a trade partner, competitor and a systemic rival to Germany, but her impression is now "that the systemic rivals aspect is increasing more and more."

She also stressed the need to avoid repeating past mistakes, like the policy of "change through trade," which Berlin previously hoped would achieve political transition in authoritarian regimes like Russia.   

German FM urges China to push Russia to end Ukraine war

Germany 'should not be naive'

Baerbock also underlined the importance of China for Germany.

"We cannot get around China," she clarified, adding that the economic relations between the two countries are "good and important."

It is not a matter of "decoupling ourselves from China," but rather "minimizing our risks."

China is Germany's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade amounting to nearly €300 billion ($320 billion) last year.

Bilateral cooperation should continue, but Germany "should not be naive" and "not repeat mistakes again," Baerbock said.

Germany is currently reliant on the Asian country for the supply of some rare earths and other minerals.

And Berlin wants German businesses to diversify their supply chains to avoid dependencies on critical goods.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government is also formulating a new China strategy  to reduce reliance on the Asian giant.

As part of the government's planned China strategy, Baerbock said Wednesday, "we must safeguard freedom and the rule of law in the long term" and "stand up for the international order with a clear stance."

What is at stake here is "the freedom, prosperity and security of all of us," the minister stressed.

How reassuring is China's pledge not to send arms to Russia?

Clear stance on Taiwan?

Baerbock was in China last week for a three-day trip, where she held talks with her counterpart Qin Gang, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Wang Yi, the country's top foreign policy official.

Her visit came amid increased tensions in the Taiwan Strait and in the wake of Beijing's ever-deepening ties to Moscow since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

During the trip, Baerbock said any change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait using force would be unacceptable.

Beijing views self-ruled Taiwan as a Chinese province and has vowed to reunite it with the mainland, even by using force if necessary.

Baerbock's visit came on the heels of a similar trip made by French President Emmanuel Macron, who irked many in the West by saying that the EU should find its own course on China and Taiwan and not blindly follow the US.

sri/jcg (Reuters, AFP, dpa)