context: From 14-16 April, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz toured China. Accompanied by three federal ministers and a large business delegation, he visited Chongqing, Shanghai and Beijing. In Beijing, Scholz held talks with Xi Jinping 习近平 and Li Qiang 李强. This is Scholz's second trip to China since taking office. His first visit in November 2022 was only a day long due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a recent commentary, Hu Chunchun 胡春春 Shanghai International Studies University Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies European Civilisation Studies group head discussed the areas where the PRC and Germany could 'exchange views' and cooperate
- peace and security
- against the backdrop of
- conflict in Ukraine, Germany has its security interests
- ongoing involvement of extra-territorial forces in East Asia and the South China Sea, the PRC needs to voice its view on security
- there are no fundamental geopolitical contradictions between the PRC and Germany, and both sides share responsibility for world and regional peace
- against the backdrop of
- development
- Germany's economy is in the slump, and the PRC faces the dual challenge of domestic economic transformation and uncertain global economy
- both benefit from globalisation
- exchanges, healthy competition and cooperation are the prerequisites for maintaining a win-win situation
- the fact that chief executives accompanied Scholz proves that economic cooperation between the PRC and Germany remains the main theme and that 'de-risking' is 'a bubble created by political discourse'
- dismantling barriers to social interaction
- since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the PRC and Germany in 1972, both societies have benefited from exchanges
- Chinese students have long been the largest group of foreign students in Germany
- tourism and cultural exchanges between the two countries have also been on the rise
- these positive interactions have been affected by the pandemic and world politics
- German politicians attempt to stigmatise Confucius Institutes and international students
- the number of students studying Chinese in Germany has declined
- Chinese and German leaders should discuss measures to promote mutual awareness and understanding
- since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the PRC and Germany in 1972, both societies have benefited from exchanges