Looking at the potentially spreading conflict in the Middle East, one thing seems clear to China: It’s all the fault of the USA. In contrast, Beijing claims to be able to solve the conflict as a neutral mediator. In line with this is the call for a peace conference and the intention of the special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, to travel to the crisis region in the coming days. Michael Radunski explains why China’s image as a selfless mediator between the fronts could soon show cracks. The country is more dependent than ever on foreign oil, after all. Consequently, cheap energy and the sympathies of the Arab world are likely to be more important to Beijing than solidarity with Israel.
For his latest exhibition, “Know Thyself,” Ai Weiwei has used Lego bricks to re-contextualize iconic art historical pieces. In an interview with Fabian Peltsch, the world-renowned conceptual artist does not hold back on his usual criticism – be it of Berlin or the Western political systems. And he explains why Cancel Culture can be harmful – namely, when political correctness causes us to misjudge our actual living conditions.
For your current exhibition Know Thyself in Berlin, you have recreated iconic pieces of art history using Lego pieces in a pixel look. Why have you decided not to recreate a Chinese masterpiece?
The works date back to 2014, when I was under a kind of soft house arrest in China. During this time, I turned to Lego to create 176 portraits of political prisoners. This medium not only allowed me to portray these individuals vividly, but also facilitated the production process and subsequent exhibition. The selection of each artwork is thus the result of careful deliberation, which extended to my personal experiences in China, but also to China’s place in the global context. Some of my Lego artworks are inspired by Chinese artworks, but I have not found suitable platforms to exhibit them. As Western audiences are often unfamiliar with Chinese art, it is necessary to provide comprehensive explanations and contextualization.
The hype around Chinese art, which peaked in the early 2010s, seems to have cooled down considerably in the West. Do you perceive a similar kind of decoupling or split into parallel universes in the art world as can be felt in the tech world?
In the age of post-globalization, China has evolved over the last three decades from a hard-to-imagine society with a high concentration of power to one of the most fascinating partners of the Western world. Today, however, the West’s political appetite for such cheap Chinese feasts is gradually waning. Consequently, the superficial fascination with Chinese art will also disappear into the annals of history. However, as we continue to witness China’s evolution and transformation, our understanding of China’s history and current state will not diminish, but rather expand.
Your father, the poet Ai Qing, and other important Chinese artists lived and studied in Paris and drew inspiration from local influences such as Impressionism or Socialist Realism. Have the Chinese looked too much to the West when modernizing their art?
History in its entirety flows like an unstoppable river, constantly moving forward and downward. China’s struggles in modern history led to the realization that many traditional philosophies, such as Neo-Confucianism, failed to explain the evolving society adequately. Consequently, China set out to embrace Western methods, both technological and cultural. Basically, this can be compared to borrowing a Western fire to cook your own rice. However, the focus was always on the rice, not the fire.
Many artists from all over the world still flock to Berlin, as they once did to Paris, to express themselves. What do you think: Is Berlin overrated as a breeding ground and hub for contemporary art?
I think these assumptions are a bit exaggerated. Berlin never really was a hub for contemporary art. I’ve never overestimated the city, and I wouldn’t underestimate other regions either, of course. Works of art are created by individuals, and the success or failure of an individual does not depend on its geographical location.
You left Germany in 2019. Why have you still decided to keep your studio in Berlin?
Berlin is a city where I lived for five to six years after I left China. I have a very good studio there and a dedicated team of colleagues. I have never considered giving up this place. Every time I return, I can still perceive some characteristic traits of Berlin. The city has a sense of vastness and novelty. However, it lacks a bit of depth.
In a recent interview with a German newspaper, you said that the countries of the West also behave authoritarian. In what ways are Western countries like Germany perhaps even more authoritarian than China?
Western authoritarianism and Chinese authoritarianism are fundamentally different. Chinese authoritarianism has been based for millennia on a centralized and highly unified system imbued with Confucian hierarchical principles. The West, on the other hand, strives for constant renewal, often driven by scientific and progressive aspirations.
In what way is the West authoritarian?
In the West, authoritarianism often acts under the guise of democracy and relies on the votes and decisions of the majority to address social issues. Although I do not pay close attention to German politics, it seems to follow a similar pattern as in the US. Different political parties vie for influence, employ strategies to please voters, and behave opportunistically, often at the expense of equity and justice, which are, however, essential for social progress. Moreover, corporations are very influential here, as democracy and freedom in the West are closely intertwined with their interests.
What impact does this have on the life of the individual?
Regarding understanding the nature of humanity, the Chinese system may seem more pervasive, although it can be perceived as considerably at odds with humanitarian values. In the West, however, the understanding of humanity has gradually given way to industrialization, corporatization and capitalization. In reality, despite the appearance of more individual freedom and independence, people in the West have lost some of the foundations of their humanity. The result has been fragmented families, broken education systems and a sense of social isolation.
Some say that Chinese society today lacks spiritual values.
The lack of spiritual values is not a singular case in today’s Chinese society, but a global phenomenon. With the rapid progress of science, the importance of spiritual life seems to be dwindling. However, these spiritual longings are integral to human nature, unless we all want to become robots.
How do you perceive the so-called Cancel Culture – do artists today have to be sensitive and more careful in communicating what they want to express and for whom they are speaking?
When political correctness leads us to misjudge our actual life circumstances, cancel culture can be very harmful. It often proves hypocritical and overlooks practical problems. For example, the idea that you cannot discuss Chinese issues when you are outside China is a simplistic and misguided view. Following this logic, I should not talk about Russia either, because I am not there, yet I have such conversations. In the rapidly evolving social landscape of the present, characterized by extensive information exchange, it is no longer so important where we are and where we are not. Social problems, regardless of where they occur in the world, are comparable.
In his current exhibition, “Know Thyself” at Berlin’s Galerie Neugerriemschneider, Ai Weiwei recontextualizes art historical works using Lego bricks. The 66-year-old is considered one of the most important contemporary artists of our time. He was born in Beijing in 1957. His father was the influential poet and painter Ai Qing. In 2011, Ai WeiWei was imprisoned in China for several months. He lived in Berlin from 2015 to 2019 and taught at the University of the Arts. He currently lives in Portugal. He answered the questions in writing.
When it comes to pinpointing the cause of the ongoing violence in the Middle East, China’s answer is clear: the US is to blame. “Instead of calming the situation, US officials appear busy fanning the flames,” the Global Times wrote on Wednesday.
In contrast, China presents itself as a better alternative, capable of solving even the most complicated conflicts thanks to its own neutrality. The deal negotiated in March between former enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia is often cited as proof. Beijing also uses this logic to justify its reservation after the Hamas attack on Israel. As a government spokesperson recently put it, China is a mutual friend of Israel and Palestine.
China now wants to take a more active role in this regard. Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed a peace conference during talks with his US counterpart. According to an interview with the state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday, China’s special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, plans to travel to the region in the coming days to positively influence events.
In the interview, Zhai mentioned ceasing the acts of violence as a prerequisite for a peace process. Previously, Zhai stressed that China had no vested interest in the conflict and was neither on one side nor the other.
But the situation is not quite that simple. Hamas’ attack on Israel and the threat of the conflict spreading are jeopardizing China’s image as a selfless mediator. After all, Beijing does have vested interests in the region: above all, oil.
The world’s second-largest economy has become dependent on foreign oil at a staggering pace. While China was still almost self-sufficient in oil in the early 1990s, it now covers 72 percent of its current oil needs through imports. The development in the USA is precisely the opposite: In 2005, America was 60 percent dependent on imports. Thanks to the fracking boom, the country has now even become a net exporter.
As a result, Xi Jinping has also made national energy security a political priority. “Energy supply and security are crucial for national development and people’s livelihoods, and are a most important matter for the country that cannot be ignored at any moment,” Xi said in July.
Yet China does not directly consume the imported oil by far. Xi is not only focusing on economic growth, but also on strategic self-sufficiency. That is why a significant part is stored in storage tanks. How much is unknown: China does not disclose figures on its reserves. Experts estimate, however, that China’s oil reserves amount to about 90 days’ worth of imports. This corresponds to the value the US has also long set as the minimum of its strategic oil reserves.
Saudi Arabia is China’s main supplier of crude oil. According to Statista, China imported almost 81 million tons worth of crude oil from the Middle Eastern oil giant in 2021. Overall, the majority of China’s oil imports come from the Middle East.
But China also exploits the Western sanctions – and diversifies its oil sources. This year alone, the People’s Republic is said to have saved around 10 billion US dollars. In addition to Russia, Beijing relies on Iran. China allegedly more than tripled its imports of Iranian oil in the past two years. This is reported by Kpler, a commodity data analysis company specializing, among other things, in tracking Iranian oil exports. For instance, Beijing is said to have recently bought nearly 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports.
However, these oil imports do not appear in China’s official statistics. After all, Beijing claims to be complying with the sanctions. Industry experts suspect that the imports are, among other things, hidden behind imports from Malaysia. Oil imports from Malaysia to China have recently boomed by 144 percent – even though Malaysia’s oil production has recently contracted due to aging oil fields.
Basically, China has managed to position itself very well in the Middle East. It even maintains good relations with its various rivaling groups: The Palestinians, but also to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran. “This extremely difficult balancing act succeeds above all because China has so far stayed out of everything,” says Alexander Gabuev, Director of the renowned Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.
However, should the current conflict intensify or even spread to Iran, Beijing, as a selfless force for order, would have to act and show its colors. “China will not allow itself to be dragged into the depths of this complicated conflict. It will rather stand on the side and refer to UN resolutions,” China expert Gabuev suspects. But Beijing’s reservation is already causing trouble in Israel.
And so the latest Hamas attack suddenly confronts China with a choice: Should it stick to the reputation of the selfless mediator or instead focus on its own economic interests?
One tendency is already apparent. Xi Jinping, who, in December on his last trip to the region, had still praised a China-led security initiative for the Middle East as an alternative to the US-led system, has so far made no public statement on the current eruption of violence.
At the annual EU-China Strategic Dialogue, EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Josep Borrell also discussed the situation in Israel with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. “The root of this problem lies in the long delay in the realization of Palestine’s aspiration to establish an independent state, and in the fact that the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people has not been corrected,” Wang said at the press meeting between the two leaders.
Israel has a right to exist, Wang said, “but who will care about the survival of the Palestinians? […] when will the Palestinian nation return to its home?” The injustice to the Palestinians has now continued for over half a century, he continued. “The sufferings that plagued generations must not continue.” Wang only sees a two-state solution as the answer to the situation. “This is how Palestine and Israel could coexist in peace and how the Arabs and Jews could live in harmony.” With a two-state solution, sustainable peace in the Middle East is possible. All mechanisms for creating peace must be used. Wang stressed.
Trust in China has “eroded” because of Beijing’s stance on the war in Ukraine, Borrell said Friday during a speech to students in Beijing. This was reported by Bloomberg. He said Europeans felt that China may not have used its strong influence to convince Russia to cease this aggression. “We consider it essential that China makes a major effort to convince the people of Ukraine that China is not Russia’s ally in this war,” he said. “I think China should step up humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”
Borrell had made up for his trip to China, postponed several times, between Thursday and Saturday last week. One of his messages: The EU must be taken seriously as a geopolitical player. Now, Borrell also warned the Chinese side that public sentiment in the EU could turn against China if it continued to achieve such a high trade surplus vis-à-vis the member states. He called for better market access for European companies. cyb
If you ask Stefan Mair what political consulting has in common with his passion, the popular German card game “Schafkopf,” the 60-year-old Director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) has to laugh. His answer: “At the end of a round, you discuss what went wrong so that you can do better next time.”
As a long-time political advisor, Mair knows exactly how much his world has changed. Unlike today, SWP documents used to be a strictly confidential matter. Even among political science students at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, hardly anyone knew about the SWP – despite its headquarters, which were still located south of Munich at the time.
It was different for him, but it didn’t help: “As a young student, I was turned down for an internship at the SWP,” recalls Mair. After earning his PhD at the Ifo Institute for Economic Research, he eventually landed at the SWP as an expert for sub-Saharan Africa. After a stint as a member of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) ‘s executive board, he has been heading Germany’s leading political consultancy think tank since 2020, advising the German government on foreign and security policy issues.
Mair’s travel record, especially in his first years on the job, is impressive: Four to five trips a year, sometimes lasting several weeks, in around 25 countries. However: “Today, that would no longer be possible.” Back then, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many countries in the region experienced a democratic awakening. On the other hand, the opposite trend is noticeable today: “China’s model of authoritarian growth in particular has become increasingly attractive for many political elites.”
Mair highlights a turning point in relations between sub-Saharan Africa and China toward the end of his time at the SWP: “During the 2007 financial market crisis, China was hardly weakened and turned out to be more stable than many observers expected.” In addition, it presented itself to the world public as an alternative model to the West with the 2008 Olympics.
During his time at the BDI as a member of the chief executive board, Mair continued to deal with foreign policy and foreign trade issues. The key difference was attention: “When working for a top association, it’s clear that your message carries weight because you represent a significant portion of the business community.” As one of many policy advisors, on the other hand, you have to make your voice heard first. In contrast to the SWP, where the individual policy advisors are only obliged to their own assessments, associations such as the BDI are also concerned with finding common ground between the various positions of the industry and then representing them.
With a hint of pride, Mair points out that he warned of unequal dependencies in the BDI’s China paper in 2019, which surprised companies and politicians alike at the time. In 2022, at the SWP’s 60th anniversary, Christoph Bertram, Mair’s predecessor in office as head of the SWP, called “irritation” one of the think tank’s core tasks. “When we say that the SWP should irritate, it is primarily to act corrective and thought-provoking,” Mair adds. However, it is difficult for the policy advisor to say how much the – irritating – advice feeds into specific decisions. Political speeches and strategy papers do not cite sources.
As the head of the German government’s most important foreign policy advisory service, Mair certainly plays a vital role in the strategic realignment of German foreign policy. The Munich native is regarded as someone who advocates a multipolar worldview, warns against talking about two competing blocs in bipolar terms, and at the same time – echoing the EU Parliament – calls China a systemic rival. “However, it is important not to reduce China to the role of rival,” he stresses. For example, there are definitely policy areas, such as climate policy, where cooperation in a spirit of partnership is paramount.
To ensure that this balancing act succeeds, Germany must not repeat past mistakes: Germany’s Russia policy had been characterized by the fact that a good relationship was in both sides’ economic interests. “That Russia would prioritize political interest over the economy was hardly expected by anyone in Germany.” He believes that one must always reorient oneself, consult with others and learn from mistakes – not so different from playing Schafkopf. Carlos Barajas Hanke
Indian summer in northwest China: Tourists enjoy the golden season in a Euphrates poplar forest in the city of Dunhuang in Gansu province.
Looking at the potentially spreading conflict in the Middle East, one thing seems clear to China: It’s all the fault of the USA. In contrast, Beijing claims to be able to solve the conflict as a neutral mediator. In line with this is the call for a peace conference and the intention of the special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, to travel to the crisis region in the coming days. Michael Radunski explains why China’s image as a selfless mediator between the fronts could soon show cracks. The country is more dependent than ever on foreign oil, after all. Consequently, cheap energy and the sympathies of the Arab world are likely to be more important to Beijing than solidarity with Israel.
For his latest exhibition, “Know Thyself,” Ai Weiwei has used Lego bricks to re-contextualize iconic art historical pieces. In an interview with Fabian Peltsch, the world-renowned conceptual artist does not hold back on his usual criticism – be it of Berlin or the Western political systems. And he explains why Cancel Culture can be harmful – namely, when political correctness causes us to misjudge our actual living conditions.
For your current exhibition Know Thyself in Berlin, you have recreated iconic pieces of art history using Lego pieces in a pixel look. Why have you decided not to recreate a Chinese masterpiece?
The works date back to 2014, when I was under a kind of soft house arrest in China. During this time, I turned to Lego to create 176 portraits of political prisoners. This medium not only allowed me to portray these individuals vividly, but also facilitated the production process and subsequent exhibition. The selection of each artwork is thus the result of careful deliberation, which extended to my personal experiences in China, but also to China’s place in the global context. Some of my Lego artworks are inspired by Chinese artworks, but I have not found suitable platforms to exhibit them. As Western audiences are often unfamiliar with Chinese art, it is necessary to provide comprehensive explanations and contextualization.
The hype around Chinese art, which peaked in the early 2010s, seems to have cooled down considerably in the West. Do you perceive a similar kind of decoupling or split into parallel universes in the art world as can be felt in the tech world?
In the age of post-globalization, China has evolved over the last three decades from a hard-to-imagine society with a high concentration of power to one of the most fascinating partners of the Western world. Today, however, the West’s political appetite for such cheap Chinese feasts is gradually waning. Consequently, the superficial fascination with Chinese art will also disappear into the annals of history. However, as we continue to witness China’s evolution and transformation, our understanding of China’s history and current state will not diminish, but rather expand.
Your father, the poet Ai Qing, and other important Chinese artists lived and studied in Paris and drew inspiration from local influences such as Impressionism or Socialist Realism. Have the Chinese looked too much to the West when modernizing their art?
History in its entirety flows like an unstoppable river, constantly moving forward and downward. China’s struggles in modern history led to the realization that many traditional philosophies, such as Neo-Confucianism, failed to explain the evolving society adequately. Consequently, China set out to embrace Western methods, both technological and cultural. Basically, this can be compared to borrowing a Western fire to cook your own rice. However, the focus was always on the rice, not the fire.
Many artists from all over the world still flock to Berlin, as they once did to Paris, to express themselves. What do you think: Is Berlin overrated as a breeding ground and hub for contemporary art?
I think these assumptions are a bit exaggerated. Berlin never really was a hub for contemporary art. I’ve never overestimated the city, and I wouldn’t underestimate other regions either, of course. Works of art are created by individuals, and the success or failure of an individual does not depend on its geographical location.
You left Germany in 2019. Why have you still decided to keep your studio in Berlin?
Berlin is a city where I lived for five to six years after I left China. I have a very good studio there and a dedicated team of colleagues. I have never considered giving up this place. Every time I return, I can still perceive some characteristic traits of Berlin. The city has a sense of vastness and novelty. However, it lacks a bit of depth.
In a recent interview with a German newspaper, you said that the countries of the West also behave authoritarian. In what ways are Western countries like Germany perhaps even more authoritarian than China?
Western authoritarianism and Chinese authoritarianism are fundamentally different. Chinese authoritarianism has been based for millennia on a centralized and highly unified system imbued with Confucian hierarchical principles. The West, on the other hand, strives for constant renewal, often driven by scientific and progressive aspirations.
In what way is the West authoritarian?
In the West, authoritarianism often acts under the guise of democracy and relies on the votes and decisions of the majority to address social issues. Although I do not pay close attention to German politics, it seems to follow a similar pattern as in the US. Different political parties vie for influence, employ strategies to please voters, and behave opportunistically, often at the expense of equity and justice, which are, however, essential for social progress. Moreover, corporations are very influential here, as democracy and freedom in the West are closely intertwined with their interests.
What impact does this have on the life of the individual?
Regarding understanding the nature of humanity, the Chinese system may seem more pervasive, although it can be perceived as considerably at odds with humanitarian values. In the West, however, the understanding of humanity has gradually given way to industrialization, corporatization and capitalization. In reality, despite the appearance of more individual freedom and independence, people in the West have lost some of the foundations of their humanity. The result has been fragmented families, broken education systems and a sense of social isolation.
Some say that Chinese society today lacks spiritual values.
The lack of spiritual values is not a singular case in today’s Chinese society, but a global phenomenon. With the rapid progress of science, the importance of spiritual life seems to be dwindling. However, these spiritual longings are integral to human nature, unless we all want to become robots.
How do you perceive the so-called Cancel Culture – do artists today have to be sensitive and more careful in communicating what they want to express and for whom they are speaking?
When political correctness leads us to misjudge our actual life circumstances, cancel culture can be very harmful. It often proves hypocritical and overlooks practical problems. For example, the idea that you cannot discuss Chinese issues when you are outside China is a simplistic and misguided view. Following this logic, I should not talk about Russia either, because I am not there, yet I have such conversations. In the rapidly evolving social landscape of the present, characterized by extensive information exchange, it is no longer so important where we are and where we are not. Social problems, regardless of where they occur in the world, are comparable.
In his current exhibition, “Know Thyself” at Berlin’s Galerie Neugerriemschneider, Ai Weiwei recontextualizes art historical works using Lego bricks. The 66-year-old is considered one of the most important contemporary artists of our time. He was born in Beijing in 1957. His father was the influential poet and painter Ai Qing. In 2011, Ai WeiWei was imprisoned in China for several months. He lived in Berlin from 2015 to 2019 and taught at the University of the Arts. He currently lives in Portugal. He answered the questions in writing.
When it comes to pinpointing the cause of the ongoing violence in the Middle East, China’s answer is clear: the US is to blame. “Instead of calming the situation, US officials appear busy fanning the flames,” the Global Times wrote on Wednesday.
In contrast, China presents itself as a better alternative, capable of solving even the most complicated conflicts thanks to its own neutrality. The deal negotiated in March between former enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia is often cited as proof. Beijing also uses this logic to justify its reservation after the Hamas attack on Israel. As a government spokesperson recently put it, China is a mutual friend of Israel and Palestine.
China now wants to take a more active role in this regard. Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed a peace conference during talks with his US counterpart. According to an interview with the state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday, China’s special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, plans to travel to the region in the coming days to positively influence events.
In the interview, Zhai mentioned ceasing the acts of violence as a prerequisite for a peace process. Previously, Zhai stressed that China had no vested interest in the conflict and was neither on one side nor the other.
But the situation is not quite that simple. Hamas’ attack on Israel and the threat of the conflict spreading are jeopardizing China’s image as a selfless mediator. After all, Beijing does have vested interests in the region: above all, oil.
The world’s second-largest economy has become dependent on foreign oil at a staggering pace. While China was still almost self-sufficient in oil in the early 1990s, it now covers 72 percent of its current oil needs through imports. The development in the USA is precisely the opposite: In 2005, America was 60 percent dependent on imports. Thanks to the fracking boom, the country has now even become a net exporter.
As a result, Xi Jinping has also made national energy security a political priority. “Energy supply and security are crucial for national development and people’s livelihoods, and are a most important matter for the country that cannot be ignored at any moment,” Xi said in July.
Yet China does not directly consume the imported oil by far. Xi is not only focusing on economic growth, but also on strategic self-sufficiency. That is why a significant part is stored in storage tanks. How much is unknown: China does not disclose figures on its reserves. Experts estimate, however, that China’s oil reserves amount to about 90 days’ worth of imports. This corresponds to the value the US has also long set as the minimum of its strategic oil reserves.
Saudi Arabia is China’s main supplier of crude oil. According to Statista, China imported almost 81 million tons worth of crude oil from the Middle Eastern oil giant in 2021. Overall, the majority of China’s oil imports come from the Middle East.
But China also exploits the Western sanctions – and diversifies its oil sources. This year alone, the People’s Republic is said to have saved around 10 billion US dollars. In addition to Russia, Beijing relies on Iran. China allegedly more than tripled its imports of Iranian oil in the past two years. This is reported by Kpler, a commodity data analysis company specializing, among other things, in tracking Iranian oil exports. For instance, Beijing is said to have recently bought nearly 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports.
However, these oil imports do not appear in China’s official statistics. After all, Beijing claims to be complying with the sanctions. Industry experts suspect that the imports are, among other things, hidden behind imports from Malaysia. Oil imports from Malaysia to China have recently boomed by 144 percent – even though Malaysia’s oil production has recently contracted due to aging oil fields.
Basically, China has managed to position itself very well in the Middle East. It even maintains good relations with its various rivaling groups: The Palestinians, but also to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran. “This extremely difficult balancing act succeeds above all because China has so far stayed out of everything,” says Alexander Gabuev, Director of the renowned Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.
However, should the current conflict intensify or even spread to Iran, Beijing, as a selfless force for order, would have to act and show its colors. “China will not allow itself to be dragged into the depths of this complicated conflict. It will rather stand on the side and refer to UN resolutions,” China expert Gabuev suspects. But Beijing’s reservation is already causing trouble in Israel.
And so the latest Hamas attack suddenly confronts China with a choice: Should it stick to the reputation of the selfless mediator or instead focus on its own economic interests?
One tendency is already apparent. Xi Jinping, who, in December on his last trip to the region, had still praised a China-led security initiative for the Middle East as an alternative to the US-led system, has so far made no public statement on the current eruption of violence.
At the annual EU-China Strategic Dialogue, EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Josep Borrell also discussed the situation in Israel with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. “The root of this problem lies in the long delay in the realization of Palestine’s aspiration to establish an independent state, and in the fact that the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people has not been corrected,” Wang said at the press meeting between the two leaders.
Israel has a right to exist, Wang said, “but who will care about the survival of the Palestinians? […] when will the Palestinian nation return to its home?” The injustice to the Palestinians has now continued for over half a century, he continued. “The sufferings that plagued generations must not continue.” Wang only sees a two-state solution as the answer to the situation. “This is how Palestine and Israel could coexist in peace and how the Arabs and Jews could live in harmony.” With a two-state solution, sustainable peace in the Middle East is possible. All mechanisms for creating peace must be used. Wang stressed.
Trust in China has “eroded” because of Beijing’s stance on the war in Ukraine, Borrell said Friday during a speech to students in Beijing. This was reported by Bloomberg. He said Europeans felt that China may not have used its strong influence to convince Russia to cease this aggression. “We consider it essential that China makes a major effort to convince the people of Ukraine that China is not Russia’s ally in this war,” he said. “I think China should step up humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”
Borrell had made up for his trip to China, postponed several times, between Thursday and Saturday last week. One of his messages: The EU must be taken seriously as a geopolitical player. Now, Borrell also warned the Chinese side that public sentiment in the EU could turn against China if it continued to achieve such a high trade surplus vis-à-vis the member states. He called for better market access for European companies. cyb
If you ask Stefan Mair what political consulting has in common with his passion, the popular German card game “Schafkopf,” the 60-year-old Director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) has to laugh. His answer: “At the end of a round, you discuss what went wrong so that you can do better next time.”
As a long-time political advisor, Mair knows exactly how much his world has changed. Unlike today, SWP documents used to be a strictly confidential matter. Even among political science students at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, hardly anyone knew about the SWP – despite its headquarters, which were still located south of Munich at the time.
It was different for him, but it didn’t help: “As a young student, I was turned down for an internship at the SWP,” recalls Mair. After earning his PhD at the Ifo Institute for Economic Research, he eventually landed at the SWP as an expert for sub-Saharan Africa. After a stint as a member of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) ‘s executive board, he has been heading Germany’s leading political consultancy think tank since 2020, advising the German government on foreign and security policy issues.
Mair’s travel record, especially in his first years on the job, is impressive: Four to five trips a year, sometimes lasting several weeks, in around 25 countries. However: “Today, that would no longer be possible.” Back then, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many countries in the region experienced a democratic awakening. On the other hand, the opposite trend is noticeable today: “China’s model of authoritarian growth in particular has become increasingly attractive for many political elites.”
Mair highlights a turning point in relations between sub-Saharan Africa and China toward the end of his time at the SWP: “During the 2007 financial market crisis, China was hardly weakened and turned out to be more stable than many observers expected.” In addition, it presented itself to the world public as an alternative model to the West with the 2008 Olympics.
During his time at the BDI as a member of the chief executive board, Mair continued to deal with foreign policy and foreign trade issues. The key difference was attention: “When working for a top association, it’s clear that your message carries weight because you represent a significant portion of the business community.” As one of many policy advisors, on the other hand, you have to make your voice heard first. In contrast to the SWP, where the individual policy advisors are only obliged to their own assessments, associations such as the BDI are also concerned with finding common ground between the various positions of the industry and then representing them.
With a hint of pride, Mair points out that he warned of unequal dependencies in the BDI’s China paper in 2019, which surprised companies and politicians alike at the time. In 2022, at the SWP’s 60th anniversary, Christoph Bertram, Mair’s predecessor in office as head of the SWP, called “irritation” one of the think tank’s core tasks. “When we say that the SWP should irritate, it is primarily to act corrective and thought-provoking,” Mair adds. However, it is difficult for the policy advisor to say how much the – irritating – advice feeds into specific decisions. Political speeches and strategy papers do not cite sources.
As the head of the German government’s most important foreign policy advisory service, Mair certainly plays a vital role in the strategic realignment of German foreign policy. The Munich native is regarded as someone who advocates a multipolar worldview, warns against talking about two competing blocs in bipolar terms, and at the same time – echoing the EU Parliament – calls China a systemic rival. “However, it is important not to reduce China to the role of rival,” he stresses. For example, there are definitely policy areas, such as climate policy, where cooperation in a spirit of partnership is paramount.
To ensure that this balancing act succeeds, Germany must not repeat past mistakes: Germany’s Russia policy had been characterized by the fact that a good relationship was in both sides’ economic interests. “That Russia would prioritize political interest over the economy was hardly expected by anyone in Germany.” He believes that one must always reorient oneself, consult with others and learn from mistakes – not so different from playing Schafkopf. Carlos Barajas Hanke
Indian summer in northwest China: Tourists enjoy the golden season in a Euphrates poplar forest in the city of Dunhuang in Gansu province.
