German delegation to Taiwan + Border traffic

‘We must take Xi Jinping’s statements literally’

What is the political message of this visit?

The new systemic competition between democracies and autocracies requires a comprehensive approach. One of the dimensions is that we have to take statements of autocrats like Xi Jinping seriously and literally, and he now also openly speaks of military aggression to reunify Taiwan. It is therefore necessary to send a clear signal of support to Taiwan.

China takes these visits very seriously.

We do what we believe is politically right as self-confident parliamentarians. After all, we are not talking about turning away from the One China policy. Our approach is consistent with the line adopted by the German government.

Still, you are a high-level delegation.

Indeed, but this is also an important issue. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the Chairwoman of the Defense Committee, is traveling with us, and I am the First Parliamentary Secretary of the parliamentary group and Deputy Federal Chairman of a governing party. In addition, we have other high-profile colleagues from the parliamentary group executive committee and our foreign policy working group with us. That is a sign in the sense of the first answer.

Are there any specific offers that Germany and Europe should now make to Taiwan, for instance full memberships in international bodies?

In the coalition agreement, we set out to strengthen Taiwan’s involvement below the level of state recognition. We are committed to this.

The goal, however, is to ultimately avoid war.

Yes, and in the sense of avoiding a confrontation, the West as a whole must position itself in such a way that it also makes such a crisis event unlikely through deterrence.

Does it make sense from the perspective of the Western alliances to draw red lines: If China does thing A, then thing B happens?

It is not wise to think in would-be scenarios here. However, it has already been clearly formulated that reunification with military force would not remain without consequences.

‘It is not about decoupling fantasies’

What considerations are currently necessary and required for this?

Above all, it includes an economic dimension in addition to a security policy dimension. I have already spoken about this with smart interlocutors of our allies in Washington, who emphasize this point in particular for Europe as well. 

What change in the economic policy of the EU and Germany is the FDP striving for?

We need to make ourselves more independent of the Chinese market and act from a position of economic strength. This includes, on the one hand, bringing our own innovative strength back to the forefront and, on the other hand, reducing dependencies by promoting more free trade with free-market democracies right now. So this is not about decoupling fantasies but an economic strategy ‘beyond China’. There are many market-economy partners for such a policy, including around the Pacific, such as the ASEAN states, Australia, and India, in addition to South Korea and Japan.

Volkswagen and BASF are making no effort to reduce their dependence on China. In fact, they want to invest more to maintain their market share. What is your assessment of this?

Overall, I notice that German companies – including SMEs in the Sauerland region where I live – are increasingly thinking about their own dependencies when making such decisions. But the process is certainly only just beginning. The China stress test I have called for can help because it increases transparency and sensitivity.