German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Beijing. What’s ahead for the China-Germany relationship?
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in Beijing Friday for an official visit, and he met with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People. Scholz’s visit to China was the first by a Western leader since the start of COVID-19 pandemic. He was accompanied by a business delegation.
Both countries have strong economic ties and China has been Germany’s top trading partner for six consecutive years. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stressed the importance of the relationship.
Joining the discussion:
- Victor Gao is Chair Professor at Soochow University.
- Klaus Larres is a professor of history and international relations at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- John Gong is a professor of economics at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.
- Pieter Cleppe is Editor-in-Chief of the Brussels Report.
Chinese President Xi Jinping touted the need for greater cooperation between China and Germany amid 'times of change and turmoil' in his first meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz https://t.co/7QwqzKD1VN
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 4, 2022
Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz with a nod to the close ties between the countries https://t.co/uiBOjJpgrz
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) November 4, 2022