"This is Germany's biggest misunderstanding of China"

Former Deputy Speaker of Germany: Germany's biggest misunderstanding of China is the world that tries to incorporate China into the perspective of the European center.

Former Deputy Speaker of the German Federal House and former Federal Minister of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times reporter that German companies are "comfortable" in operating in China and hoping to participate in booming Go in the Chinese market. "If Germany and China are decoupled, it is impossible to cause economic losses to the two parties, and there is no reason to decompose the two countries!" He also said that the biggest misunderstanding of German politics and society at the moment is "trying to incorporate China into a European center perspective perspective. world".

On October 11 this year, China and Germany are about to usher in the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. However, on this anniversary, German politics frequently spread the harsh sound of "reducing dependence on China" and "Germany should be decoupled from China". On September 15, German Economic Minister Habeck said that Germany would adopt a "tough" trading route to China. Two days before, he also said in an interview with the media that the German federal government has developed a new trade policy to China to reduce its dependence on Chinese raw materials, batteries and semiconductor products. He claims that Germany will not continue "naive" in trade with Beijing.

German Burger Port Data Map Source: Visual China

Friedrich did not agree with the above -mentioned "decoupling with China" and changing the discussion of the policy route of China. He said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times reporter during the 6th Taihe Civilization Forum that he recently held that German -China relations in the past 50 years are a "successful story". Today, the economy of the two countries is closely linked and both benefited from this relationship, which fully proves that international division of labor has brought prosperity to the world. Germany and the European Union need to play a role in a more polar world. They must deal with other countries in politics and economy in accordance with fair rules.

"Whether it is a Chinese investor in Germany or the export of Germany to China, it is an important guarantee for employment opportunities in Germany." The former German senior officials said that in the global world, except for dialogue and seeking peace, people do n’t do n’t No choice.

According to a survey report released by the German Institute of Economics (IW), the "Voice of Germany" shows that Germany's direct investment in China in the first half of this year has a record high. According to statistics, from January to June this year, German companies' direct investment in China is as high as 10 billion euros. Prior to this, since 2000, German companies have invested in the half -year record of 6.2 billion euros in China. According to official German data, as of the end of 2021, China has become Germany's largest trading partner in the world for six consecutive years. The bilateral trade volume in 2021 was US $ 235.12 billion, a year -on -year increase of 22.5%.

"People need to be used to the role of China as a geopolitics and scientific and technological power." In response to some politicians' increasingly tough tone of China, Friedrich thinks. He told the Global Times reporter, "Our biggest misunderstanding of China is to try to incorporate China into a European center perspective."

He also said that although the United States and Europe have common cultural identity and values, the United States and Europe do not have the same geographical strategic interests. This is why Europe plays an independent role in today's world pattern. It is necessary to play a honest mediation role between Europe, the United States, Russia, and China. "

"Germany cannot have any interest in the world's division into two irreparable opposite groups. On the contrary, what we need is to take into account the global power balance under all national interests." Friedrich told the Global Times reporter.

Source: Global Times-Global Network/Bai Yunyi

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