Scholz and Xi want peace in Ukraine – the path remains unclear
Published: Tuesday, Apr 16th 2024, 15:40
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China and Germany want to work together to promote peace in Ukraine in the future. However, it remained unclear on Tuesday at the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Beijing what the path to ending the Russian war of aggression might look like.
Scholz was unable to persuade Xi to agree to Chinese participation in the Swiss peace conference planned for June. However, the two agreed to consult "intensively and positively" on this and possible further conferences.
Differences also remained on economic issues - above all on what is meant by fair competition. Scholz and Xi emphasized that they nevertheless wanted to expand economic cooperation. "We do not want to decouple from China," Scholz emphasized several times.
Xi's parable: No one should be on the menu
Scholz and Xi spoke for a total of three hours and 20 minutes - an unusually long time. The meeting began with an hour in large groups, followed by a 45-minute tea ceremony in private and finally a meal together. Xi is said to have used this as a parable alluding to the solution initiatives in the Ukraine war: Everyone should sit at the table, but no one should be on the menu, he was quoted as saying.
From a German perspective, the Ukraine war was the number one topic at the political talks in Beijing. During his inaugural visit in November, Scholz had persuaded Xi to reject Russian threats of a nuclear strike. On Tuesday, this was supplemented by the joint demand not to attack nuclear facilities in the war zone.
A small step instead of a big one
This time there was no major breakthrough. There were several different statements from the Chinese side on Tuesday regarding the efforts to hold a peace conference. The first statement said that China would only support an international peace conference if it was accepted by both Russia and Ukraine. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already rejected the Swiss initiative and was not even invited.
The Chinese later added that they would continue to coordinate this and other conferences. The extent of Beijing's willingness to take part in the summit in the Swiss Alps ultimately remained open. The hosts want to invite 100 countries and bring as many states as possible to the table that are friendly towards Russia - above all China. The nuclear power with a population of 1.4 billion is considered Russia's most important ally. The conference in Switzerland therefore stands or falls with China's participation.
Xi speaks of "era of turbulence and upheaval"
Xi spoke of a "new era of turbulence and upheaval" in which the risks for all of humanity are increasing. "In order to solve these issues, it is essential that cooperation between the major powers gains the upper hand." In this sense, stable cooperation between the major economies of Germany and China is important. "Together, we can breathe more stability and security into the world."
At the beginning of the talks, Scholz had urgently drawn Xi's attention to the devastating effects of the war. "They are indirectly damaging the entire international order, because they violate a principle of the United Nations Charter: the principle of the inviolability of state borders," he said. "The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and Russia's armament have a very significant negative impact on security in Europe."
The West accuses China of supplying Russia with goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, thereby supporting the Russian war economy. Scholz had already made it clear before the meeting that he wanted to address this issue clearly. Xi did not address this in his statement. He merely said that China was "not a party and not a participant in the Ukraine crisis".
Practical test for China strategy: Xi warns against protectionism
The talks in Beijing were also a practical test for the German government's China strategy, which was adopted in the summer. This strategy defines the country, which is ruled with a heavy hand by the communist leadership, as a partner, competitor and systemic rival. The core of the strategy is to reduce economic dependency on China in order to avoid a rude awakening like the one after the Russian attack on Ukraine when gas supplies were cut. This is known as de-risking or risk mitigation. Xi emphasized that cooperation between Germany and China does not represent a risk, but rather "a guarantee for the stability of relations".
Like his Prime Minister Li Qiang, whom Scholz also met, he warned urgently against economic protection measures. Germany and China both depended on industry and supported free trade, Xi said. "In this sense, both sides should guard against the rise of protectionism." The EU Commission is currently investigating whether the sale of Chinese electric cars in Europe is being improperly subsidized. Xi's statements are likely to be aimed at this.
Scholz mentioned "fair competitive conditions", equal market access, the protection of intellectual property and the need for a reliable legal framework.
Longest journey to a single country
This is the Chancellor's second trip to China since he was sworn in in December 2021. His inaugural visit in November 2022 was only a day trip due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This time, he took three days - more than ever before for a single country on a single trip - and also visited the two economic hubs of Chongqing and Shanghai before Beijing. He was accompanied in Beijing by a dozen top managers and three ministers: Volker Wissing (Transport, FDP), Cem Özdemir (Agriculture, Greens) and Steffi Lemke (Environment, Greens). The ministers signed agreements on trade in beef and apples, autonomous driving and the circular economy.
©Keystone/SDA
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