Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Germany's main opposition leader calls for European coalition on China ties

Germany's main opposition leader calls for European coalition on China ties

Germany's main opposition leader on Friday called for Berlin to involve key allies in negotiations with China as part of a rethink of ties with Beijing that reflected a global "paradigm shift" in security and foreign policy.

Speaking in a Reuters interview, the head of the conservative CDU party, Friedrich Merz, said Germany could no longer rely on buying cheap gas from Russia and goods from around the world while relying on U.S. security.

Merz's comments reflect a growing rethink in German policy towards Beijing since Russia's invasion of Ukraine exposed Europe's heavy dependence on Russian energy.

It marks a departure from the era of former CDU Chancellor Angela Merkel, when China became Germany's biggest trade partner and a vital export market.

The 67-year-old arch conservative Merz became head of Merkel's Christian Democrats in 2022 promising a break from her centrist politics. According to a poll by the ZDF broadcaster this week, the CDU/CSU is polling nationally as Germany's biggest party bloc at 30%, gaining slightly while parties in the ruling coalition slipped, as Merz seeks to position himself to run for chancellor in 2025.

"We need very close coordination with our European partners, especially with France," he said about China ties. "We must demonstrate that Germany is not alone in this, but is acting in close coordination with its European partners."


NO 'DAY TRIPS'


Merz called for a key representative of the French government to be involved in future talks between Germany and China. He stressed that consultations with Beijing were important, but added:

"They just shouldn't be day trips with oversized delegations and small agendas, they have to be well prepared and they have to produce results."

He said Germany should reduce the presence of technology from China's Huawei as soon as possible, but without ripping out existing Huawei systems from German networks.

Asked whether he would travel to Taiwan, after a recent visit by a German minister infuriated Beijing, Merz said he would not want to do so at present, so as not to be provocative.

Merz was speaking ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to China with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The trip could see Beijing try to play divide and rule, said a non-Western diplomat who suggested China may try to insert a wedge into the Western camp and lure France away from the United States.

On European politics, Merz said his party would back von der Leyen for a second term as president in 2024.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Budapest Post
Close
0:00
0:00
TRUMP RESPONDS TO INDICTMENT
The Fed fixing the economy
Corporations standing up for “LGDP-LGT-LBG-LGBTQ2+ kids” during ‘Pride Month’ be like:
A Major Ukrainian Hydroelectric Dam BLOWN UP
US and European Intelligence Agencies Uncover Evidence of Ukrainian Role in Terror Attack on Nord Stream Pipeline
The driver has been described by authorities as a 21-year-old woman from Tallahassee
Joe Biden falls at the Air Force Graduation
America's Got Talent…
Nvidia Joins Tech Giants as First Chipmaker to Reach $1 Trillion Valuation
Drone Attack on Moscow's Wealthiest Neighborhoods Suspected to be Launched by Ukraine
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Hold Power Talks with President Biden in Washington
AI ‘extinction’ should be same priority as nuclear war – experts
Prominent Hacker Forum RaidForums Suffers Substantial Data Breach
Climate cultists thought they had sabotaged another beautiful event — then the cameraman had his revenge.
Nvidia CEO Huang says firms, individuals without AI expertise will be left behind
WPP Revolutionizes Advertising with NVIDIA's AI Powerhouse
Two US Employees Fired For Chasing Robbers Out Of Store As They Broke ''Company Policy''
Pfizer, the EU, and disappearing ink - Smoke, Mirrors, and the Billion-Dose Pfizer Vaccine Deal: EU's 'Open Secret
Actor Tom Hanks told Harvard University graduates to be superheroes in their defense of truth and American ideals, and to resist those who twist the truth for their own gain
A provocative study suggests: Left-Wing Extremism and its Unsettling Connection to Psychopathy and Narcissism
France Arrests 10 on Suspicion of Failing to Respond in Time to Migrant Drowning
Neuralink Receives FDA Approval for First-in-Human Clinical Study
Is Saudi Arabia the holiest place in the world? Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions from "The Mount Sinai Stand" Discovered in Saudi Arabia
Ukrainian Intelligence Official Admits to Assassination Attempts on Putin
WATCH THIS: democracy in Russia is so bad!
Ed Davey: It is possible for a woman to have a penis
Bernard Arnault Loses $11.2 Billion in One Day as Investors Fear Slowdown in US Growth Will Reduce Demand for Luxury Products
Russian’s Wagner Group leader: “I am not a chef, I am a butcher. Russia is in danger of a revolution like in 1917.”
TikTok Sues Montana Over Law Banning the App
Ron DeSantis Jumps Into 2024 Presidential Race, Setting Up Showdown With Trump
Steve Jobs introducing Apple's iPhone, exactly 16 years ago.
China overtakes Japan as world's top car exporter
Elon Musk's SpaceX and Italy's Unipol join forces to help Italians hit by flooding
Talks between US House Republicans and President Biden's Democratic administration on raising the federal government's $31.4tn debt ceiling have paused
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received a warm welcome at an Arab summit in Jeddah
Biden Administration Eyeing High-Profile Visits to China: The Biden Administration is heating things up by looking into setting up a series of top-level visits to Beijing by top officials in the coming months
New evidence in special counsel probe may undercut Trump’s claim documents he took were automatically declassified
A French court of appeals confirmed former President Nicolas Sarkozy's three-year jail term for corruption and influence peddling
Debt Ceiling Crises Have Unleashed Political Chaos
Weibao Wang, a former software engineer at Apple, was charged with stealing trade secrets related to autonomous systems, including self-driving cars
Mobile phone giant Vodafone to cut 11,000 jobs globally over three years as new boss says its performance not good enough
Elon Musk compares George Soros to Magneto, the supervillain from the Marvel Comics series.
Warren Buffett Sells TSMC Shares Over Concerns About Taiwan's Stability
New Study Finds That Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia Is a Major Cause of Death in COVID-19 Patients Who Require Ventilator Assistance
Vienna: Passenger Plays Hitler Speeches on Train, Causes Panic
The official tapes of Trump's deposition in the E. Jean Carroll battery (rape) and defamation case have been released.
King Charles III being crowned.
Newly released video of Donald Trump’s rape trial deposition:
Video: Ukraine MP Punches Russian Representative At Global Meet
El Paso mayor has declared a state of emergency
×