Scholz in China: what did the visit achieve?
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has ended his controversial visit to the People's Republic of China. While he was able to induce head of state Xi Jinping to speak out against the use of nuclear weapons "in Eurasia", he only broached the subject of human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in passing. Commentators' take mixed views of the results.
At least a small step forwards
The Badische Zeitung says the chancellor's trip has proven to be the right decision:
“Scholz has taken the opportunity to make it clear that China should exert its influence on Russia. In view of the war of aggression in Ukraine, for now it is only a small step that China's leadership has expressed its concern about the conflict more clearly than before. But even small steps count - on the way to ensuring that Russian President Vladimir Putin loses as much support as possible everywhere. A continuous effort to work with China towards more peace, better climate protection and fair trade is essential.”
No hint of a turning point
The trip shows how outdated Germany's economy and Olaf Scholz's policies are, journalist Wolfgang Münchau writes in El País:
“The problem in Germany is that the entire economic model, based on cheap energy and exporting machinery and equipment to countries like China, is reaching its limits. Germany will have to diversify in a direction that is largely unknown to Scholz and his friends in industry. ... What worries me most is that Germany will remain stuck in the old world and drag the rest of Europe down with it. I see Scholz as a transitional figure who came to power after an electoral accident. ... The real turning point has not yet been reached.”