What is Scholz doing in China?
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be visiting China this week and has already provoked fierce criticism ahead of his meeting with President Xi Jinping on Friday. The Chancellery issued a statement saying that not only economic issues but an "entire spectrum" of the country's relations with China, including human rights, are on the agenda. Commentators take a critical view of the trip.
In the wrong place at the wrong time
Hospodářské noviny no longer understands the world:
“Eight months after announcing a 'turning point' in German foreign and security policy, and notwithstanding the German economy's struggle for independence from Russian gas and oil, Scholz travels to China to do politics and business as usual. ... It almost seems as if Scholz, after the failure of Germany's 'change through trade' policy towards Russia, is now trying the same with an even tougher regime. ... Annalena Baerbock's foreign ministry has prepared a 60-page draft for a new, tougher German policy on China. But the chancellor probably doesn't even read his own diplomats' documents.”
Chancellor seeking new partner
Scholz seems to be attempting to replace Russia with China, comments Jutarnji list:
“Scholz rejected the offer of French President Emmanuel Macron to visit Xi together and thus demonstrate the unity of the EU vis-à-vis China. In doing so, right from the outset he raised concerns in the EU that he is travelling to Beijing to advance German interests. Scholz is taking with him representatives of the German business community, among whom are the biggest advocates of deeper economic relations with China. ... It is hard to believe that Scholz is not going to China to save the economy by replacing dependence on Russia with dependence on China.”
Annoying naivety
The German Chancellor seems to be as naïve as his predecessor, criticises Christophe Bourdoiseau, Libération's Germany correspondent:
“Like Merkel, who thought it unnecessary to cancel the construction of the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Olaf Scholz appears to be acting naïvely by travelling to Beijing just a week after the coronation of the dictator Xi at the Chinese Communist Party Congress. He is the first European head of government to visit China since the pandemic began. The timing is particularly bad, chides his Green foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, who did not conceal her annoyance.”