China’s No. 2 official Li Qiang began his first overseas trip since becoming premier, as the government of the world’s second-largest economy attempts to prevent ties with Europe deteriorating to lows reached with the US.
(Bloomberg) — China’s No. 2 official Li Qiang began his first overseas trip since becoming premier, as the government of the world’s second-largest economy attempts to prevent ties with Europe deteriorating to lows reached with the US.
Li held talks in Berlin Monday with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who according to his office told the Chinese premier that the government in Beijing is in a position “to use its global political clout and its influence on Russia to work toward a just peace” in Ukraine.
The two leaders also discussed China’s relations with the US and Steinmeier “stressed the special importance of relations between the two countries for global security and cooperation,” the German president’s office added. “He called for the strengthening of communication channels between the two countries,” it said, in comments coinciding with the final stages of a trip to China by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Li will dine with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Monday evening ahead of the seventh China-Germany inter-governmental consultations starting on Tuesday.
The German government doesn’t expect concrete results or agreements to come out of the talks, according to a senior official in Berlin, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential policy details.
There’s also concern within the German government that Chinese officials will try to influence the final wording of Berlin’s updated China strategy, which is due to be presented at the beginning of next month.
While Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, a member of the Greens, has pushed for a more critical stance, Scholz advocates a pragmatic approach, arguing that China will be needed as a partner in the fight against climate change.
After the government consultations in Berlin, Li will fly to Munich, where he will meet with Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder, as well as the chief executive officers of Siemens AG and BMW AG, which are both based in the southern state.
The two companies have recently stepped up investment in China, with Siemens announcing it will expand its factory in Chengdu and BMW taking a controlling stake in its car-making joint-venture.
Li will then head to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He could also have the opportunity to speak to US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during his time in Europe, as both are scheduled to attend a development finance summit in Paris this week.
Blinken is making a rare visit to Beijing to try to reset ties between the world’s largest economies, underscoring the current tensions destabilizing China’s diplomatic relationships with Western democracies.
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The Chinese premier is accompanied in Europe by Zheng Shanjie, head of China’s economic planning agency, and Commerce Secretary Wang Wentao. Their absence from China may mean any announcement of expected economic stimulus is postponed until after Li’s scheduled return on Friday.
The trip follows visits to China by Scholz and Macron in the past year, and comes as Beijing tries to repair ties with Europe damaged by Chinese support for Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. China is also trying to attract investment from European firms and encourage the European Union and its member countries to not join the US in restricting technology exports and trade.
The talks also come at a delicate moment for Europe as the bloc struggles to define a coherent approach on China, with Germany and the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, both having described China as a partner, competitor and rival at the same time.
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen is expected to announce the bloc’s new economic security strategy on Tuesday, including details on how to “de-risk” from China.
–With assistance from James Mayger.
(Updates with details on talks starting in second paragraph)
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