The German Green Party leader, Franziska Brantner, has launched a sharp rebuke of Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil’s recent trip to China, raising concerns about the government’s coherence on a critical foreign policy issue. Brantner’s criticism, delivered to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, centers on the perceived contradiction of Klingbeil’s visit occurring shortly after Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock postponed her own China trip due to a lack of productive dialogue.
This dissonance, Brantner argued, projects an image of “planlessness” in Germany’s international dealings, undermining the government’s credibility. The timing is particularly sensitive, she stressed, given China’s position concerning Russia’s war in Ukraine and the recent imposition of new trade restrictions.
Brantner’s commentary underscored the urgent need for a unified and clearly defined Germany-China strategy. She maintained that economic interests are intrinsically linked to both foreign and security policy objectives, a point that demands a coordinated approach. Drawing a direct comparison to the past government’s perceived closeness to Moscow, Brantner cautioned against establishing a similarly problematic relationship with Beijing.
Beyond the strategic misalignment, Brantner also challenged Klingbeil to address the increasingly assertive trade tactics employed by China, specifically threatening to halt deliveries of crucial resources like semiconductors and rare earth minerals. She explicitly urged Klingbeil to champion “fair competition” during his meetings with Chinese officials, signaling a need to defend German economic interests while upholding international norms. The Green Party leader’s intervention has intensified the debate within the German government, highlighting the complexities and potential pitfalls of navigating a relationship with a nation exercising growing global influence.