12.04.2023
On the eve of German Foreign Minister Berberk’s visit to China, the German Foreign Ministry said today that using the military as a threat may increase the risk of accidental military conflicts, and mentioned that the relationship between Taiwan and China will be one of the topics of the German Foreign Minister’s visit to China. one. In addition, Borrell, the EU’s high representative who was also scheduled to visit China this week, had to postpone his trip because he was diagnosed with the new crown.
(Deutsche Welle Chinese Network) According to reports from Agence France-Presse and Deutsche Presse, German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Andrea Sasse said on Wednesday (April 12) that Berlin is very concerned about the situation in the Taiwan Strait and mentioned Taiwan Tensions with China will be this weekgerman foreign minister berbockOne of the topics of discussion during the visit to China.
China recently launched a three-day military exercise around Taiwan“We naturally hope that all parties in the region can contribute to stability and peace, and the same applies to China. And our view is that measures such as military threat posture run counter to this goal and instead increase the risk of Risk of unintended military conflict.” She added that Germany was “contributing to de-escalation in the region in cooperation with international partners”.
EU senior representative postpones visit to China after diagnosis
Recently, due to French President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial remarks about Taiwan and the successive visits of officials including German Foreign Minister Berberk to China, German politicians and media have focused on the sensitive tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Last week, during his visit to China last week, French President Macron said in an interview with the French newspaper Les Echos and the US online media Politico,On the issue of Taiwan, the worst-case scenario for Europe is “following the political agenda of the United States, and China’s overreaction”, while saying that the EU “should not be plunged into world chaos and crises that do not belong to Europe”This remark caused an uproar after it was published.
In an interview, Macron said that the EU should implement strategic autonomy and “should not fall into world chaos and crises that do not belong to Europe.”
In this regard, the European Commission reiterated its European position on Taiwan through a spokesperson on Tuesday. The spokesperson made it clear that the EU rejects any form of force to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. This statement also re-emphasizes the proposition of European Commission President von der Leyen. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell (Josep Borrell) was originally scheduled to visit China from April 13 to 15, but this Wednesday he announced that he had to postpone his visit to China due to the infection of the new crown virus.
German chancellor, foreign minister have no comment on Macron’s comments
Regarding German government officials, Chancellor Scholz, who led representatives of German companies to visit China in November last year, and Foreign Minister Berberk, who is about to start his visit to China this week, have not yet expressed their views on Macron’s controversial remarks. Asked to respond to Macron’s remarks at a government news conference on Wednesday, German foreign ministry spokesman Schasser and another spokesman for the chancellor declined to comment.
In German politics, various parties have different opinions on Macron’s speech. Rolf Mützenich, head of the parliamentary group of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), echoed Macron’s remarks, noting that “we have to be careful not to be part of a major conflict between the US and China.” To Europe must try “as far as possible to develop an independent role (for itself) and not appear in the region as an appendage of the United States“.
Jürgen Trittin, a foreign affairs expert of the Green Party, one of the ruling parties, warned that relations with the current US government should not be damaged, because “a strong transatlantic partnership is in Europe’s interest”. He mentioned that it is important to strengthen Europe’s sovereignty and countermeasures, while not neglecting the good relationship with the United States. Triting believes that the arrival of the Biden administration has once again improved the relationship between the United States and the European Union. In addition to being reflected in the joint support for Ukraine, the EU and the United States are also cooperating closely in other fields.
‘EU must become more competitive’
Another German governing party, the Free Democratic Party (FDP), issued a statement on its website stating: “French President Emmanuel Macron demanded that Europe does not necessarily have to stand with the United States in the Taiwan conflict. For the FDP, this is clear: Taiwan as a A free and democratic country deserves our full support.” Nicola Beer, a member of the German Liberal Democrats and vice-president of the European Parliament who visited Taiwan in July last year, also tweeted: “Macron is doing one thing The above is correct: the EU must become more competitive. But this depends on reliable partners, and the EU’s relationship with the United States is completely different from its relationship with China.”
(comprehensive report)
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