Source: Global Times

[Aoki, special correspondent of the Global Times in Germany] After German Foreign Minister Waldfur postponed his scheduled visit to China, the German government said on the 27th that German-Chinese relations will not be substantially affected and will continue to promote high-level exchanges between the two countries. According to reports from the German South German Newspaper and Deutsche Welle websites, German Deputy Chancellor and Finance Minister and co-chairman of the Social Democratic Party Klingbeier will visit China in mid-November to attend the fourth Sino-German high-level financial dialogue and attend the second strategic dialogue meeting between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the German Social Democratic Party.

A spokesman for the German Social Democratic Party said on Monday that the inter-party dialogue was a ¡°dynamic and crucial¡± exchange that will focus on issues such as foreign security, economic trade and human rights. The report said that the Social Democratic Party hasined good relations with China for a long time.

For the deferred visit to China, German Left Party Chairman Jan Van Arken criticized the move as ¡°threatening bilateral relations,¡± while Green Party Deputy Chairman Nuripel said Germany should seek a strategic dialogue with Beijing, rather than fall into a symbolic confrontation.

The German business community also regretted the delay of the foreign minister's visit to China.The executive director of the Chinese German Chamber of Commerce in the northern and northeastern regions, Hems, said that many important issues involving Chinese enterprises urgently need face-to-face discussion, and hopes that the two sides rearrange the meeting as soon as possible.

After delaying the visit to China, Wadefuhr responded, "just delay, not cancel."He also plans to call the Chinese representatives as soon as possible and re-arrange the trip.The German government's deputy spokesman, Mayer, said the change will not affect Germany's policy towards China, and the government still hopes to maintain "positive exchanges of mutual respect" with China.

Germany¡¯s Prime Minister Mattis (Data Map)

According to German media reports, despite the deferred trip of the foreign minister, the German side still plans to promote other high-level exchanges.Mayer said that the changes in the schedule of Waldfuhr will not affect German Prime Minister Merts's visit to China plans, and said its trip "there are no prerequisites", that is, does not require the foreign minister to complete the visit to China first, but the specific time has not been determined.

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German Foreign Minister: to postpone visit to China, not cancel, plans to talk with China as soon as possible

German Foreign Minister Wadfour originally planned to visit China on October 26, but temporarily cancelled the trip, causing widespread concern in German society.

According to Reuters and Agence France-Presse, on the 27th local time, Wadfur said that he planned to talk to the Chinese side "as soon as possible" and reschedule his visit to China. When talking about the previous cancellation of the trip, he argued: "It was just a postponement, not a cancellation."

¡°For the German government, it is clear that we have a long-term good relationship with China,¡± Wadefuhr said in an interview.

In the interview, Vadoufour once again talked about the issue of rare earth. After China introduced the latest measures to control rare earth exports, the EU countries are focusing on the money.

Wadfur said the EU must diversify its suppliers of critical minerals and components to reduce risks. He also said: "But at the same time, we are committed to ensuring fair trade with China in all fields, including rare earths and chips. We are still committed to this fair exchange and fair trade, and believe that we can also find partners in Beijing."

German government spokesman Stephen Mayer said on Monday that he believed the delay "will not have a significant impact on the government's policies" and stressed that Germany is still interested in "respectful and good exchanges" with China, he added.

Mayer also said the change would not affect German Prime Minister Murts¡¯ plans for a visit to China, who is also on the verge of a visit to China.

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

He was scheduled to begin his trip to China last Sunday, October 26. He would be the first minister in the German Merz government to visit China and was accompanied by the President of the German Automobile Industry Association (VDA) and the Managing Director of the German rare-earth importer Noble Elements.

In an interview before his departure, Vader said one of his goals was to persuade China to ease restrictions on exports of key minerals.

He also talked about 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".

In response, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun recently responded that he only said that he would maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait but not say that he would oppose "Taiwan independence". This is essentially condoning and supporting "Taiwan independence" activities and will have a serious impact on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. It is hoped that Germany will strictly abide by the one China principle and take a clear-cut stand against any separatist act of "Taiwan independence".

A German Foreign Ministry spokesman blamed the visit on Thursday on the fact that ¡°currently we have not arranged enough talks in China,¡± according to foreign ministers, indicating that tensions between the two sides are rising on trade and security issues.

Waldfur is from Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Reuters said that overall, since he took office as foreign minister in May, his stance on China has been tougher than that of the Social Democratic Party in the ruling coalition.

After Wadfour temporarily canceled his visit to China, it aroused widespread concern in German society, worried that the move would aggravate tensions and hurt the German economy.

Addis Akhmetovic, foreign affairs spokesman of the German Social Democratic Party, bluntly said on the 25th that this was not a "good sign". He called on Germany to rethink its China strategy and need an active and strategic foreign policy more than ever before.

Germany is Europe's largest economy, while China is Asia's largest economy and has once again become Germany's largest trading partner this year.

Since the beginning of this year, China has become Germany's largest trading partner again. The picture shows the flags of China and Germany (data map)

According to German official preliminary statistics, China replaced the United States as Germany¡¯s largest trading partner from January to August this year, with German-China trade reaching €16.34 billion, which is slightly higher than the €16.28 billion between Germany and the United States. The main reason for the change is that the U.S. re-introduction of tariffs has led to a decline in German exports to the United States, while German imports from China have grown dramatically.

The Chinese German Chamber of Commerce regretted the cancellation of the trip, saying companies needed more clarity on bilateral issues.

Andreas Kroll-Pich, managing director of German Commodity Trading Company, was originally a member of Wadfur's delegation to China. He said he couldn't comment on the cancellation of the trip, but told reporters: "Politically motivated trade conflicts and export restrictions undermine prosperity and must be resolved through constructive dialogue ¡­ Further escalation is not in Germany's economic interests."

According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guo Jiang Qing responded to the relevant issues on 27th, said that China has always viewed and developed China-German relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, China-German as a major country and the world's major economies, and the two sides cooperate for mutual benefit and mutual benefit.