Knocking the Pins Out: Merz's Approach to China's Game of Chess
Merz Fails to Show Resolve Against China's Aggression - Merz Shies Away from Confronting China Directly
By Bernd Ziesemer- + - 2 Min
The newly penned government blueprint dedicates just 11 lines from a whopping 146-page contract to China - and it ain't looking too fierce. The plan's goal? Partnering with Xi Jinping, maintaining rule-abiding practices, pursuing 'de-risking,' and teaming up with EU partners and other Western allies. It smells like more of the same ol' lukewarm stance from Olaf Scholz and Angela Merkel with a mere hint of spine - if you squint real hard.
Friedrich Merz, his Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche aren't exactly China experts, which might lead to a few knowledge gaps when it comes to translating those brave words into practical politics. After all, Unlike Ukraine, it's still unclear how this new government plans to stand apart from its predecessor on China. And that could open the door for German industry and state-owned Chinese corporations to push their biased views even further.
Adreas Fulda, a China expert, has a term for this - "outsourcing" - importing German policy towards the People's Republic to giants like BASF and VW, all while Merz's administration profits from its reputation as a business-friendly government. But, write your own script, Merz! Don't let the 9-to-5 grind dictate the course of history.
China: The Greater Challenges Awaiting Merz
Over the next four years, China is poised to stake its claim in Merz's agenda more aggressively than ever before. The USA-China trade spat could ensnare Germany in a battle, jeopardizing interests that have been propped up by massive Chinese exports and cut-throat prices. Add Russian's war on Ukraine and Chinese support to the mix, and Merz might find himself forced to impose secondary sanctions against Chinese companies. And let's not forget the potentially disastrous consequences of escalating tensions around Taiwan on the global economy.
While Scholz sought to dial down the pressure on Beijing, his attempts to thwart EU-imposed tariffs on Chinese auto exports and the Huawei fiasco hint at resistance to a firmer stance. Merz's new regime will have to decide whether to take a different tack when faced with thorny disputes. As Noah Barkin of the German Marshall Fund points out, Germany sits at the crossroads of a more unified and effective European stance towards China - and it's time for Merz to seize the day.
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- Friedrich Merz
- China
- Xi Jinping
- Donald Trump
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Overall:
This new German government led by Friedrich Merz is expected to take a more calculated and strategic stance towards China. Key features of the approach include:
- Breaking Free from Dependencies: Merz's administration aims to extract Germany from excessive dependencies on China by promoting a policy of 'de-risking' and strengthening resilience. This implies fostering a more balanced relationship with China and focusing on areas where cooperation is mutually beneficial.[4]
- Strategic Cooperation: Merz intends to pursue strategic cooperation with China, particularly in critical sectors such as automotive and technology, as long as it benefits Germany and minimizes political risks.[4]
- European Unity: Merz's policy also involves closer collaboration with the European Union on China-related matters in order to build a unified European stance towards China. This reflects a broader European trend of collective management of China relations rather than individual engagement.[4]
Minor differences between the current and previous administrations can be highlighted as follows:
- Shifting Rhetoric: Under Merz, Germany's rhetoric towards China has become noticeably tougher, with a focus on China as a "systemic challenge."[4]
- Smarter Economic Strategy: While Merz is careful in his approach towards China, the emphasis on reducing dependencies and de-risking suggests a shift away from excessive economic engagement with China.[4]
- Expanding Economic Horizons: Merz has expressed an interest in diversifying Germany's economic bases, indicating a reduced dependence on China and a wider focus on other markets like the U.S. and South America.[4]
However, despite these differences, German businesses remain significant investors in China, especially in the automotive sector, suggesting that while the government's stance is more cautious, economic ties with China remain strong.[4]
- The European Union is committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, but the newly penned government blueprint dedicates only 11 lines to China, raising questions about its firmness.
- Friedrich Merz, the head of the new German government, along with Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche, may face knowledge gaps in translating their words into practical politics regarding China.
- Unlike Ukraine, it's still unclear how this new government plans to differentiate itself from its predecessor on China, which could lead to even more biased views from German industry and state-owned Chinese corporations.
- Adreas Fulda, a China expert, has a term for this – "outsourcing" – importing German policy towards the People's Republic to giants like BASF and VW, all while Merz's administration profits from its reputation as a business-friendly government.
- Over the next four years, China is poised to stake its claim in Merz's agenda more aggressively than ever before, potentially ensnaring Germany in a battle over USA-China trade spats.
- Add Russian's war on Ukraine and Chinese support to the mix, and Merz might find himself forced to impose secondary sanctions against Chinese companies.
- The potentially disastrous consequences of escalating tensions around Taiwan on the global economy could also impact Merz's agenda.
- Scholz sought to dial down the pressure on Beijing, but his attempts to thwart EU-imposed tariffs on Chinese auto exports and the Huawei fiasco hint at resistance to a firmer stance.
- Merz's new regime will have to decide whether to take a different tack when faced with thorny disputes, as Germany sits at the crossroads of a more unified and effective European stance towards China.
- Partnership with Xi Jinping, maintaining rule-abiding practices, and teaming up with EU partners and other Western allies are the goals of the new government's plan regarding China.
- Beijing's aggressive posture could ensnare Germany in a battle, jeopardizing interests that have been propped up by massive Chinese exports and cut-throat prices.
- Merz might find himself forced to impose secondary sanctions against Chinese companies due to Russian's war on Ukraine and Chinese support.
- Escalating tensions around Taiwan on the global economy could have disastrous consequences.
- Scholz's attempts to thwart EU-imposed tariffs on Chinese auto exports and the Huawei fiasco indicate resistance to a firmer stance.
- Merz's policy includes closer collaboration with the European Union on China-related matters in order to build a unified European stance towards China.
- Merz's policy also involves fostering a more balanced relationship with China and focusing on areas where cooperation is mutually beneficial.
- Merz intends to pursue strategic cooperation with China, particularly in critical sectors such as automotive and technology, as long as it benefits Germany and minimizes political risks.
- In the realm of sports, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, sports-betting, and tennis are all followed closely, as well as European leagues, premier league, American football, NBA, Masters, Grand Prix, horse-racing, weather forecasting, auto-racing, and mixed martial arts.
- Europe is experiencing a warm spell, with temperatures soaring in various regions, which could impact the farming industry and general news.20.*: merz, china, xi jinping, donald trump
- Capital is a partner brand of stern.
- More from Capital can be found at www.stern.de/capital.
- Minor differences between the current and previous administrations can be highlighted as follows: the shifting rhetoric, smarter economic strategy, and expanding economic horizons.
