Source: Global Times

[Global Times special correspondent in Germany Aoki Global Times reporter Li Jiayu] German Foreign Minister Wade Fur suddenly announced the postponement of his trip two days before his departure to China, which caused huge controversy in Germany and exposed the Merz government's China policy. Differences. Social Democratic MPs in Germany's ruling coalition criticized the foreign minister's move for sending a "bad signal" and believed that it was not conducive to improving the current tense German-China relations.

German Foreign Minister Waldfuhr suddenly announced the delay of the trip two days before his visit to China (data map)

According to reports from German media such as Le Monde and Reuters on the 26th, German Social Democratic Party Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ahmetovic said that canceling the trip before the visit is not conducive to improving German-China relations. "Especially in the context of global tensions, maintaining direct dialogue with China is particularly important." He called on Germany to rethink its strategy towards China, emphasizing that it should promote pragmatic diplomacy guided by "dialogue, clear thinking and long-term interests." He said,"We need a proactive and strategic foreign policy more than ever before." Germany and China should strengthen communication on peace, security, economic and other issues.

According to German media reports, one of the reasons he delayed his visit to China was ¡°not currently able to arrange enough talks in China¡±.Wadfour said earlier in an interview with Reuters that he would exchange views with China on export controls on rare earth and semiconductors.

Regarding Wadfour's remarks, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference on the 24th that the current international situation is intertwined and China and Germany, as major countries and major economies in the world, must set an example for shaping a new type of major-country relations, adhere to mutual respect, equal treatment, and win-win cooperation, and make greater contributions to promoting world peace and development with the stability of Sino-German relations. This is also the common aspiration of the two peoples, including the German business community.

According to preliminary data from the German Federal Statistical Office, in the first eight months of 2025, China once again surpassed the United States and became Germany's largest trading partner. This change is mainly affected by the tariff increase imposed by the United States to curb German exports to the United States, while the trade volume between China and Germany continues to rise. Specific data show that from January to August this year, the total import and export volume between Germany and China reached 163.4 billion euros, while the trade volume with the United States was 162.8 billion euros. Reuters reported that this trend reflects the limitations of Europe's "de-risking" strategy towards China, and China's trade influence on Germany has returned to its peak.

¡°This is a super-diplomatic disaster for the Murts government.¡± The Financial Times said that Germany¡¯s economy has been stagnant for three years, and Murts has always hoped to revive the economy, including seeking to solve the problem through a visit to China, while the cancellation of the journey by Waldfuhr could make the plan more complicated. German media said that the cancellation of the trip on the eve of the visit exposed a frustration at the German government¡¯s diplomatic level. The German business community is also deeply concerned about this, and from the view of the members of the original visit to China by Waldfuhr, the collective absence of the German industry delegation is seen as a vote of no confidence in its route.

Germany¡¯s Prime Minister Mattis (Data Map)

Some experts believe that the internal attitude of the German government toward China, both reflects the conflict of political ideas, but also reflects the appearance of real-interest game. Beijing Foreign Language University Regional and Global Governance Higher Research Institute professor Trudeau Hongjian said on the 26th to the reporter of the Global Times that the delayed visit to China was "more reflects the internal political contradictions in Germany, not the overall direction of China-German relations".

Sun Keqin, a researcher at China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said that the German economy is facing pressures such as stagnant growth and blocked exports to the United States."If China-Germany economic and trade are hit again, German manufacturing will be unable to bear it." Sun Keqin said that there are broad prospects for cooperation between China and Germany. Only by adopting a policy of equality, mutual benefit, and pragmatic cooperation towards China on the basis of mutual respect can Germany be expected to achieve win-win results.

previous reports

The German Foreign Ministry on the Taiwan Sea issue, claiming that "violence must be avoided to change the status quo"

According to Reuters news, German Foreign Minister Wadfour will begin his visit to China on October 26.

On October 23, local time, Wadfur said in an interview that one of the goals of his trip was to persuade China to relax export restrictions on critical minerals.

According to reports, Waldfuhr will be the first minister to visit China in the German Merz government.Where Waldfuhr is accompanied by the president of the German Automobile Industry Association (VDA) and the general manager of the German rare-earth importer Noble Elements.

Wadfur also reportedly plans to emphasize the importance of free movement of goods through the Taiwan Strait, an important trade corridor.

He immediately discussed the Taiwan Strait issue, claiming that if free circulation is "no longer possible due to violent conflicts, it will have an impact on the prosperity of many parts of the world". He said that Germany will maintain the one-China policy unwavering, "which also includes the need to avoid violence to change the status quo".

During the interview, Wadfour told Reuters that he would call on China to use its influence to promote Russia-Ukraine peace talks. He said: "We hope that China will contribute to achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. No other country has such great influence on Russia as China."

China's position on the Taiwan Sea issue is consistent. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Swed recently reiterated that Taiwan has never been a country, it has never been, and there is no possibility in the future. No matter what the People's Development Party authorities say or do, it will not change the historical and legal facts that Taiwan is part of China's territory, and it will not change the general consensus of the international community to adhere to the one-China principle.

On the Ukrainian issue, China has repeatedly expressed its position.In May, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that China has been committed to persuading and promoting talks and supporting a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement through direct dialogue.

Germany's new Foreign Minister Waldfuhr recently delivered a speech (video)

Reuters mentioned that in recent years, like other European countries, Germany has been working to reduce dependence on China on the grounds of political tensions and concerns about so-called "unfair trade." However, data shows that in 2024, China will still be Germany's largest trading partner.

At present, due to China's latest rare earth export control measures, the EU countries are focusing on the money.

Wadfur claimed that China's measures are particularly worrying. He said: "Of course, I will explicitly discuss this issue during my trip. I am convinced that, just like us, stable and reliable global trade relations and supply chains are of important interests to China. Only when all parties abide by fair and open international trade rules can this goal be achieved in the long run."

The EU countries held a leaders' summit in Brussels on 23 local time. Bloomberg cited news that EU countries could discuss trade with China at the summit. The EU is exploring trade options with China in response to China's latest rare earth export control measures. It was revealed that the European Commission is preparing a list of trade measures expected to be released at the end of this month.

According to sources, Germany, France and Poland support discussing China's increasingly stringent trade measures with Europe at the summit. Among them, France hopes that the EU will consider all options for retaliation against China, while Germany expresses its willingness to discuss the use of the trade "nuclear option"-"anti-coercion" mechanism against China.

The Anti-Coercion Instruments Act (ACI), which takes effect at the end of 2023, will allow the EU to restrict trade and services, reduce certain intellectual property rights, and restrict access to foreign direct investment and public procurement. Many people regard it as a "nuclear option". Its ideal role should be a deterrent and has never been used yet. After the Trump administration increased taxes, EU countries repeatedly spread the word that they would use this tool, but in the end it fell apart.

However, according to Euronews Network, EU member states still have serious differences on this issue and are worried that any escalation between China and Europe may deal a heavy blow to the European economy. The report believes that this means that for the EU, using the trade "nuclear option" is still a distant idea.

According to the Ministry of Commerce website news, Wang Ventao Minister on the 21st meeting with the European Commission's trade and economic security commissioner Shef Chovich held a video conversation. Wang Ventao said that regarding the issue of rare-earth export control, China's recent measures are the normal practice of improving China's export control system in accordance with the law, reflecting China's responsibility for safeguarding world peace and stability.