Konstantin von Notz, an Green Party politician, has warned about escalating threats from China. Speaking on the POLITICO Berlin Playbook podcast, he stated that the world is severely underestimating the energy and aggression China wields against the West, thereby also threatening Europe and Germany. He described the coordination among authoritarian states as highly relevant for security policy, noting that “autocrats have common interests in uniting and sticking together against the perceived enemy”.
Of particular concern is China’s role in the war in Ukraine. Von Notz pointed out that China is providing indirect support to Russia through “dual-use goods”.
Furthermore, he cautioned about increasing Russian aggression directed at Germany. He cited instances of disinformation campaigns and the rapprochement between Russian interests and extremist parties within Germany, such as the AfD and the BSW. In response to these growing threats, von Notz called for a significant strengthening of Germany’s intelligence agencies. He concluded that the country requires “modern and robust intelligence laws”.