Diplomacy

All news and posts of our editorial team on the topic

Canadian diplomat expelled
China expelled Canadian Consul General in Shanghai Jennifer Lynn Lalonde on Tuesday. Lalonde must leave China by May 13. The move was Beijing’s response to a request by the Canadian government the day prior for a Toronto-based Chinese diplomat to leave the country. Tensions between the two countries thus continue to escalate.Following the expulsion of […] continue reading →
‘China’s claim to be a mediator is something we must respect’
The former head of the Munich Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, believes it is a mistake to simply dismiss China's paper on the Russia-Ukraine war, since Beijing is not truly neutral. Nevertheless, China could play a role in the peace process. He considers the EU insufficiently prepared so far. Michael Radunski, Nana Brink, Felix Lee and Viktor Funk spoke with Ischinger. continue reading →
Wang: via Moscow to Munich
China’s chief diplomat Wang Yi is expected to attend the Munich Security Conference (Feb. 17-19) this weekend. This was confirmed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday. It is the first attendance of a senior Chinese politician since the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020.During his eight-day Europe tour, Wang will also visit numerous […] continue reading →
Iran’s President visits China
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi will travel to Beijing next week at the invitation of Xi Jinping. The visit is scheduled for Feb. 14-16, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Relations between the two countries had taken a hit recently after Xi indirectly recognized at a summit in Saudi Arabia the United Arab Emirates’ claim to […] continue reading →
‘Wolf warrior’ spokesperson Zhao transferred to new role
Beijing moved foreign policy spokesman Zhao Lijian, known for his aggressive style, to another position. The “wolf warrior” has been transferred within the ministry, according to the Foreign Ministry’s website. The 50-year-old is now deputy head of the ministry’s Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs deputy head of the ministry’s Border and Ocean Affairs Department. […] continue reading →
Taiwan threatens to change course in Paraguay
Taiwan could lose another partner state. Of 13 remaining countries in the world plus the Vatican that maintain diplomatic relations with the island nation instead of the People’s Republic of China, Paraguay could soon change course. This has been announced by the opposition presidential candidate Efraín Alegre.Alegre plans to sever official ties with Taipei if […] continue reading →
Qin Gang becomes new Foreign Minister
The former Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, is China’s new Foreign Minister. The 56-year-old was Ambassador in Washington from July 2021 and before that Vice Foreign Minister (China.Table reported). He is considered a nationalist hardliner but appeared more moderate as Ambassador to the United States.Qin replaces 69-year-old Wang Yi, who will become […] continue reading →
Building confidence for cooperation
The meeting between President Xi Jinping and EU Council President Charles Michel was an important sign for the future relationship between Brussels and Beijing, writes China's new EU Ambassador Fu Cong in his first public opinion piece since his arrival. He wants to advance the common interests of both sides during his tenure in Belgium. continue reading →
Manchester: Diplomats flee the UK
After the violent incident at the Chinese consulate in Manchester, six Chinese diplomats have left the United Kingdom, including the Consul General. The government in Beijing arranged for the diplomats to leave, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced.The police in Manchester actually wanted to have the diplomats’ immunity lifted to question them about the violent […] continue reading →
New EU ambassador takes up post
After nearly a year of vacancy, the new Chinese ambassador to the European Union has taken up his post. “I believe that with joint efforts from both sides, China-EU relations will embrace a brighter future,” Fu Cong wrote in his welcome message on the website of the Chinese EU representation. He said the EU is “an important partner […] continue reading →
London district rejects embassy
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets District Council has unanimously rejected plans for a new Chinese embassy in its area. Councilors cited safety concerns for residents, additional traffic congestion, and potential impact on the area’s attractiveness as a tourist destination as reasons for their rejection. The site, which belonged to the Royal Mint until 1976, […] continue reading →
German embassy remembers Liu Xiaobo
The German Embassy in Beijing continues to abstain from self-censorship on Chinese social media. After it had already cleverly commemorated the Tiananmen Square massacre a few weeks ago, it now drew attention to the Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, who died in Chinese custody.The embassy uses the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations for this […] continue reading →
Feisty foreign policy
When Olaf Scholz will hold talks in Beijing, things will be tougher for him than for his predecessors. China's understanding of foreign policy has changed. It sees itself as the spearhead of a new global balance of power. Its partners are also feeling this. continue reading →
German Embassy holds up a mirror to China
The German Embassy in Beijing commemorated the Tiananmen Square massacre with a clever online post on the short messaging service Weibo. To do so, the embassy used a tribute to the anniversary of diplomatic relations, recalling defining events in each of the two countries’ past 50 years. For 1989, it published a photo from the […] continue reading →
Day trip for Scholz
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not spend the night in the People’s Republic during his visit to China in early November. The trip to the People’s Republic will be “very short,” effectively a “day trip,” government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in Berlin on Monday. “There is no overnight stay planned in China.” He acknowledged that […] continue reading →
The diplomatic approach to fundamental political difference
The purpose of diplomatic language is to prevent political differences that lead to a deterioration of relations between two states. Ralph Weber of the University of Basel sees in a diplomatic verbal exchange with authoritarian states a risk of undermining own democratic values. Especially when they have existed for 50 years, as between Germany and the People's Republic of China. Therefore, democracies should pay meticulous attention to their choice of words and avoid the use of numerous terms. continue reading →
China and Germany – relationship status: it’s complicated
There won't be a big celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. The German side in particular is upset. But the reason for the disappointment is not only to be found in Beijing. continue reading →
‘On Twitter, we can post censored content’
Fifty years of diplomatic relations have passed before Germany is represented by a female ambassador in Beijing for the first time. Patricia Flor is the first woman to hold the post, and from the very first days she has taken a somewhat different approach to the office than her predecessors: more presence on social media – and thus more open criticism of the Chinese leadership. The interview was conducted by Amelie Richter. continue reading →