China is Germany's partner, not a rival

By Zhang Zhouxiang

For whatever reason, the German government is wrong in calling China a "competitor" and "systemic rival" in its latest strategy paper about China.

With a trade volume of 298 billion euros ($334.3 billion) in 2022, with a year-on-year rise of 21 percent, China has remained Germany's biggest trade partner for seven years, even bigger than its leading ally the US. Many German brands, such as Volkswagen, have joint ventures in China that champion the Chinese car market.

From every aspect it's fair to say the two nations are good partners as the German strategy said. But equally absurd are the other two terms it imposed on China, namely, "competitor" and "systemic rival".

Listing the two terms in its report exposes the German government's attempt to follow the US blinded by a sense of antagonism, which will hurt its own interests.

To take a confrontational mentality against nations that could be friends is dangerous, a lesson Germany must have learned well from history.

During her 16 years in office, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's predecessor Angela Merkel visited China 12 times, each time to a new city, a feat even many Chinese people have not done. She kept good, effective communication with China, which is how her government maintained good relationship with China despite the radicalization move in the whole West.

Having taken her position for one year and a half, it's time Scholz got some of her wisdom, too.