- Hardliner becomes new chief diplomat
- Outlook for Brussels’ China agenda
- Germany warns of new supply bottlenecks
- Beijing permits Australian coal
- Car market recovers slightly
- WTA: Tennis return only with Peng Shuai
- Ant IPO becomes more likely
- Heads: social credit researcher Omar Oswald
- Executive Moves: new ambassador to Rome
In the last weeks of the old year, there was repeated talk of Beijing’s charm offensive aimed at the West. After all, Xi Jinping had struck a softer tone at the G20 summit in Bali. But Beijing’s new foreign policy figurehead probably came as a shock to optimists: Qin Gang will become the new foreign minister. The wolf warrior is not particularly known for diplomatic tones.
On Twitter, Qin has already bid farewell to the US, where he has served as ambassador since July 2021. Among other things, he thanked the American people for their friendly interactions. On his final meters as ambassador, Qin also published a text that gives insight into his – and Beijing’s – view of the world. Michael Radunski took a closer look at this piece and read between Qin’s lines.
The diplomatic year between Brussels and Beijing starts off with discord: The EU Commission’s crisis team has spoken out in favor of mandatory Covid testing in all member states for travelers before departure from China. Whether these will be introduced is now up to the individual EU member states. However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry already hinted that the move could be met with retaliatory measures. After three years of the most absurd quarantine regulations, mandatory testing, arbitrariness and control apps upon entry into China, it is difficult to take Beijing’s criticism seriously.
In addition to handling the Covid pandemic, 2023 holds other potential conflicts between the EU and China – but perhaps also a reconciliation on CAI? We present an overview of upcoming topics in the first half of the year.
Amelie Richter
Feature
Qin Gang – How China’s new foreign minister sees the world
Just before leaving Washington, Qin Gang 秦刚 wrote one last essay. The title: How China Sees the World. It is no parting gift from the Chinese ambassador to the United States, but rather an announcement. Because Qin Gang has since risen to become China’s new foreign minister (China.Table reported). And so it is worth taking a closer look at the essay. Because between the pretty words it is possible to see how China sees the current international conflicts.
At first glance, Qin’s essay published in the US magazine “The National Interest” seems like the masterpiece of a career diplomat. He praises China’s rise as an asset for global peace and advocates more cooperation between all nations for the benefit of humanity. Time and again, readers are treated to the terminology used by China’s leaders around President Xi Jinping: From win-win situations to mutual respect to pretty phrases such as “a community with a shared future for mankind.”
Qin names the crises of the world
But 56-year-old Qin is an experienced party cadre. He knows that pretty words are not enough, so China’s new foreign minister does not avoid any current crises. It is precisely here where it is not only worth taking a closer look at Qin’s words but above all his thoughts between the lines.
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