BERLIN/PEKING (dpa-AFX) – During her political talks in China on Friday, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wants to insist on distancing herself from the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and on compliance with international rules. China, in particular, as a member of the UN Security Council, is expected “to clearly assess this war of aggression and to do everything it can to ensure that there is finally peace again in Europe. That’s what I mean by partnership, and that you can then Attackers certainly don’t deliver weapons. And I’ll talk about that,” said the Green politician on Thursday from China on the ARD “Tagesthemen”.
She reiterated earlier statements that China should not only be seen as a partner in overcoming global crises and as an economic competitor, but “increasingly also as a systemic rival”. “If you don’t want to stick to international rules, but want to define the rules yourself, then you obviously question parts of the rules-based order, and we can’t ignore that. China has changed and that’s why our China strategy has to react to it ‘ Baerbock said.
She wants to represent European values in Beijing, such as a fair economic order and “a just international order where everyone can rely on (…) not attacking their neighboring country, for example.” She was obviously alluding to the military threats against the island state of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory. “Just as China is making it clear that they want to ensure their own economic security, I am making it clear here that we Europeans naturally also want to ensure our own economic security. In the best sense, this works in dialogue, but if the other person doesn’t want to talk, then then you have to make it clear yourself that you have a clear point of view,” she continued.
Baerbock began her visit to China on Thursday in the port city of Tianjin. In the city southeast of the capital Beijing, she attended classes at a partner school and toured a German company that produces wind turbines. The central political talks are scheduled for Friday in Beijing./and/DP/he