This trip to China led back to the future. Olaf Scholz’s trip with a large business delegation could have been from the era of every German chancellor since the late 1990s, when German business with China was booming, without any self-doubt or suspicions. And we have seen the fishing for concessions regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine during the Chancellor’s trip in 2022. However, China’s support for Russia has not changed substantially since then.
It shows: The time of the China illusion is not over yet. China appeases European politicians with pretty words and tiny concessions. In Beijing, they are told exactly what they want to hear. But China has changed under Xi Jinping. Instead of becoming part of the Western-dominated world order, it wants to shake it up and reshape it.
This is why parts of the German government and the Federation of German Industries (BDI) also urge the country to de-risk. However, Scholz’s visit showed little sign of this. Xi insisted that everything was fine with his country’s high exports.
Michael Radunski analyzes word for word what is known about what Xi Jinping said to Olaf Scholz. We also provide an overview of what the other ministers in the delegation had to discuss in Beijing: Cem Oezdemir negotiated meat imports, Steffi Lemke the circular economy, and Volker Wissing autonomous driving standards.
And then there was Jens Spahn. The politician from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) happened to be in China at the same time as Scholz, and yet he managed to somewhat steal the show from the Chancellor.
Although Xi Jinping has only minimally changed his stance on Russia and Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has already drawn considerable hope from this. He identified growing common ground with China: “We agreed: China and Germany want to support and encourage efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine,” said Scholz in Beijing on Tuesday. Both sides were willing to “coordinate intensively and positively” on a potential peace conference in Switzerland.
The Chancellor spoke with the Chinese head of state and party leader for over three hours in Beijing on Tuesday. Xi praised the excellent Chinese-German relations, which “goes beyond the bilateral scope, and has a major impact on the Eurasian continent and the entire world.”
A closer look at Xi’s words regarding Russia-Ukraine shows that both sides continue to see things very differently, including the peace conference. China still tends to side with Russia. The “peace” that China has repeatedly called for would have considerable advantages for Russia in this form.
The Chinese President’s reaction shows that this is unlikely to change. Xi explained to Scholz which role the People’s Republic plays in his opinion: China is not a party or a participant in the Ukraine crisis. Instead, Xi named four vague principles to avoid further escalation:
With this, Xi is trying to blame the “Ukraine crisis” not on Russia (overall interest), but rather on the USA and the West (selfish gains and oil on the fire). In contrast, according to Xi, China has always “promoted the peace talks in its own way.” In other words, Russia is not the aggressor and the West is somehow to blame for the war. Presenting these points to Scholz in such a way could also be interpreted as impertinence, not as a concession.
At the very least, Xi promised that China would support an international peace conference-”in due course” and only if both Ukraine and Russia participated. Switzerland currently plans such a conference, to which it is also inviting pro-Russian states. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already rejected the initiative and was not even invited.
The meager results contradict Scholz’s announcements. Before the talks with Xi, Scholz said he would speak frankly with China’s President. “The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and Russia’s armament have a very significant negative impact on security in Europe.”
During the talks, he then asked Xi “to influence Russia so that Putin finally calls off his senseless campaign, withdraws his troops and ends this terrible war.” Scholz warned of damage to the “entire international order.” The war and Russia’s armament violated “a principle of the United Nations Charter, the principle of the inviolability of state borders.” China is Russia’s closest ally. Only a few days ago, the United States accused Beijing and several companies of supporting the Russian war machine.
Overall, China’s President had many kind words for his guest from Berlin. “The two countries do not have clashing fundamental interests between them and pose no security threat to each other. Cooperation between China and Germany benefits not just the two sides but also the world at large.” Relations should be viewed “from a long-term and strategic perspective.”
Xi’s words are the expected charm offensive toward the German Chancellor. Beijing sees Germany as having a key role in an increasingly critical environment, from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Beijing also counts on the Federal Chancellor in Germany. Scholz is expected to balance out the critical stance of Foreign Minister Baerbock and Economy Minister Habeck and thus ensure a China-friendly policy in Germany.
The Middle East conflict also came up in Beijing on Tuesday. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke on the phone with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The latter promised that Iran was willing to exercise restraint, adding that Iran had only acted in self-defense to the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria. According to Xinhua, Wang said that China condemned the attack on the Iranian embassy in the strongest possible terms – as for Iran’s current attack on Israel, he only said that it was a consequence of the conflict in Gaza.
In a second phone call, Wang agreed to work closely with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah to avoid further escalation of the confrontation. According to Xinhua, Saudi Arabia expects China to play an active and important role in this regard.
Xi warned Scholz against economic protectionism: Germany and China depended on industry and supported free trade, Xi said at the meeting with the Chancellor, according to Chinese sources. “It is important for the two countries to stay vigilant against the rise of protectionism,” he said. According to the Chinese readout after the meeting, Germany rejects protectionism (德国反对保护主义，支持自由贸易). “As an important member of the EU, Germany is willing to play an active role in promoting the good development of EU-China relations,” Scholz said.
Cooperation between Germany and China does not represent a risk, but is “a guarantee for a stable bilateral relationship.” Xi cited sectors such as mechanical engineering and the automotive industry as examples. He believes that Berlin and Beijing should also look at issues of production capacity from a market and global perspective based on the laws of economics.
Recently, the focus has been on the accusation that China was using state investment to ensure that Chinese companies were producing too much and damaging other markets with their cheap products. However, Beijing sees things differently: China’s exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products have not only enriched global supply and alleviated global inflationary pressure, but also contributed greatly to the global response to climate change (中国电动汽车、锂电池、光伏产品等出口不仅丰富了全球供给、缓解了全球通胀压力，也为全球应对气候变化和绿色低碳转型做出了巨大贡献), Xi said, according to Chinese reports.
Meanwhile, Scholz advocated a rules-based trading system, as embodied by the World Trade Organisation (WTO): “Both China and Germany are trading nations that benefit greatly” from membership in the World Trade Organisation. “We are committed to strengthening the rules for global trade and developing them further together with the other WTO members.” Scholz said at a press conference in the evening that there was clearly a need to discuss the issue of overcapacity. “We need to talk about subsidy competition.” However, subsidies exist “everywhere in the world.” Scholz again emphasized the position of the WTO. He did not directly criticize Beijing’s economic policy. This clearly showed the differing tone of Berlin and Brussels.
The CEOs of the two German car manufacturers, BMW and Mercedes, warned of a trade dispute, for example, over Chinese EVs in Europe. “What we can’t afford as an export nation are increasing trade barriers,” Mercedes CEO Ole Kallenius told German public broadcaster ARD in Beijing regarding the EU investigation into whether Chinese EVs are distorting market competition.
Like BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, Kallenius described China as an opportunity rather than a risk. Referring to Scholz’s visit, Kallenius said that Sino-German economic relations should not only be cultivated, but also expanded. “Withdrawing from such a large market is not an alternative, but rather strengthening our position,” he said about the company’s strategy in China, the world’s second-largest economy. BMW already has a global presence, which is the best strategy for minimizing dependencies on one market, said the BMW CEO in response to political calls for diversification. He also voiced skepticism about EU investigations into Chinese EVs.
The unusually large contingent of three ministers almost resembled the format of the government consultations held every two years – and not a routine trip by the Federal Chancellor to China. However, Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, Agriculture Minister Cem Oezdemir (both Green Party), and Transport and Digital Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) did not hesitate to accompany Olaf Scholz to Beijing.
The line-up of government members once again underlined China’s importance – and that the government is well aware of this. The ministers all presented concerns from their respective ministries that require close coordination with China. They discussed data privacy in cars, swine fever and plastics recycling.
When it comes to artificial intelligence and autonomous driving, international standards are inconceivable without China. The People’s Republic has already invested billions in both areas and is a world leader in autonomous driving. Minister of Transport and Digital Affairs Wissing and State Secretary for Economic Affairs Franziska Brantner (Greens) traveled to China to look closely at the trend. They agreed on a declaration of intent with the Chinese Minister for Industry and Information Technology, Jin Zhuanglong, on “cooperation in autonomous driving.” This shows that, unlike the US, for example, China continues to focus on cooperation in future technologies wherever possible.
“We are currently in a crucial development phase in which the aim is to bring the technology from the laboratories to the streets,” said Wissing in a statement. Like Chancellor Scholz before him, he emphasized that the key to this lies in fair competition and stressed the importance of common standards and norms. The joint declaration of intent is intended to contribute to this. Meanwhile, Brantner mentioned the increasingly restrictive data legislation in China, which in some cases places tight limits on cross-border data transfer in particular. She also reiterated the call for a level playing field, a recurring theme throughout the German visit.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke also signed a joint action plan on “Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency” with the Chairman of the powerful Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Zheng Shanjie, on Tuesday. The plan envisages a regular exchange on value chains of important materials, including plastics and metals. The aim is to achieve more efficient use of these materials in packaging, construction, and industry. According to a report by the German press agency dpa, particular focus will be placed on the automotive industry and the manufacture of batteries.
The action plan is part of the Sino-German climate and transformation dialogue agreed at the intergovernmental consultations in June 2023. However, the two countries have so far had different ideas about the circular economy. China tends to focus more on resource efficiency and productivity, while Europe prioritizes how product volumes can be reduced to conserve natural resources. The German side would also like to provide China with elements of the German National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS), which the German government hopes to adopt by summer 2024.
Agriculture Minister Cem Oezdemir met his counterpart Tang Renjian on Tuesday. According to a post by his ministry on X, discussion topics included cooperation in the protection of global goods as a prerequisite for food security as well as market access for beef, apples, and veterinary medicines. Another topic was African swine fever.
The Ministry of Agriculture will provide more detailed information about Oezdemir’s meeting this Wednesday. In the run-up to the visit, Oezdemir was already expected to negotiate in Beijing about lifting the Chinese import ban on German pork, among other things. This is in the interests of livestock farmers, who used to export large quantities to China, where pork consumption has increased in recent years. Like other countries, China had suspended imports in 2021 due to African Swine Fever (ASF). However, South Korea had already resumed trade in May 2023. This could mean that Beijing’s continued ban could also have political reasons. Collaboration: Nicolas Heronymus
Sinolytics is a research-based business consultancy entirely focused on China. It advises European companies on their strategic orientation and specific business activities in the People’s Republic.
Germany and China intend to cooperate more closely on autonomous and connected driving. On the Chinese side, Jin Zhuanglong, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, signed a corresponding declaration of intent with German Transport Minister Volker Wissing, Federal Minister and State Secretary for Economic Affairs Franziska Brantner on Tuesday.
Jin Zhuanglong (金壮龙) is regarded as a technological authority in China. Until he was appointed Minister of Information in July 2022, he was primarily known as an aerospace specialist. It is not uncommon in China for engineers to also pursue a political career all the way to the top of the Communist Party, especially if they work in the state economy.
Just like Jin. From 2012 to 2017, he headed the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China – Comac for short – China’s state-owned aircraft manufacturer as Chairman of the Board, Party Secretary and General Manager. In these positions, he promoted the development of the C919, the country’s first domestically developed passenger aircraft. When the aircraft embarked on its maiden flight in 2017, it was considered a new chapter in the global aviation market, and not just in the People’s Republic.
Born in 1964 in Zhoushan in Zhejiang province, Jin embarked on this path as soon as he started studying at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) in the 1980s, where he also earned his Master of Engineering in missile development and design. His PhD in industrial economics followed in 2003 at Fudan University, also in Shanghai. On the side, Jin attended training courses at the Central Party School in preparation for a political career. He had already joined the CCP in 1984 at the age of 20.
After a stint as Director of the Shanghai Aerospace Bureau, where he further developed the Long March 4B missile, among other things, Jin was appointed Secretary-General of the Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense in 2004. In 2017, he became Executive Deputy Director of the Central Military-Civilian Integration Development Committee Office. He was also a delegate to the 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party.
As minister, Jin is now responsible for sectors such as the internet, telecommunications, new energy vehicles and big data. Shortly after taking office, he declared that he wanted to promote greater international cooperation. Photos of him courting Tesla boss Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook during their visits to China in 2023 went around the world. However, Jin also called for China to become independent of foreign countries in critical technologies in the party magazine Qiushi last year. “In the face of increasingly fierce international competition,” China must “increase the resilience of the industrial supply chain” and the “level of security.” This is the only way to ensure “that our country can win in the game of superpowers.”
When talking to foreign companies, Jin maintains a friendly and open-minded demeanor. At the Beijing China Development Forum in late March, he invited foreign and multinational companies to come to China to set up research and development centers. “We will provide service and safeguards for worldwide scientists, entrepreneurs and investors who come to China to innovate and start businesses,” he said. China would continue to expand its high-level opening-up to create a “first-class, market-orientated, rule-of-law and international business environment.”
After Jin’s speech, Mercedes CEO Ola Kallenius took the stage at the forum. He explained that China’s openness to different technological concepts – especially in rapidly developing technologies such as autonomous driving – would certainly help strengthen China’s position as an innovation hub. However, China must create “harmonized international standards and regulations” that are fair and guarantee free trade. Fabian Peltsch
The bright yellow rape blossom is followed by the bright pink color of the bougainvillea in Chinese spring. The false flowers, which mainly grow in subtropical regions, have also become a tourist attraction, like here in a valley in the Qingxiu Mountains near Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Autonomous Region.
A visitor center has been built here on the hillside specifically for admiring the magnificent flowers. The bougainvillea is also popular as a potted plant in southern China – it would not survive the cold winter in the north.
This trip to China led back to the future. Olaf Scholz’s trip with a large business delegation could have been from the era of every German chancellor since the late 1990s, when German business with China was booming, without any self-doubt or suspicions. And we have seen the fishing for concessions regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine during the Chancellor’s trip in 2022. However, China’s support for Russia has not changed substantially since then.
It shows: The time of the China illusion is not over yet. China appeases European politicians with pretty words and tiny concessions. In Beijing, they are told exactly what they want to hear. But China has changed under Xi Jinping. Instead of becoming part of the Western-dominated world order, it wants to shake it up and reshape it.
This is why parts of the German government and the Federation of German Industries (BDI) also urge the country to de-risk. However, Scholz’s visit showed little sign of this. Xi insisted that everything was fine with his country’s high exports.
Michael Radunski analyzes word for word what is known about what Xi Jinping said to Olaf Scholz. We also provide an overview of what the other ministers in the delegation had to discuss in Beijing: Cem Oezdemir negotiated meat imports, Steffi Lemke the circular economy, and Volker Wissing autonomous driving standards.
And then there was Jens Spahn. The politician from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) happened to be in China at the same time as Scholz, and yet he managed to somewhat steal the show from the Chancellor.
Although Xi Jinping has only minimally changed his stance on Russia and Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has already drawn considerable hope from this. He identified growing common ground with China: “We agreed: China and Germany want to support and encourage efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine,” said Scholz in Beijing on Tuesday. Both sides were willing to “coordinate intensively and positively” on a potential peace conference in Switzerland.
The Chancellor spoke with the Chinese head of state and party leader for over three hours in Beijing on Tuesday. Xi praised the excellent Chinese-German relations, which “goes beyond the bilateral scope, and has a major impact on the Eurasian continent and the entire world.”
A closer look at Xi’s words regarding Russia-Ukraine shows that both sides continue to see things very differently, including the peace conference. China still tends to side with Russia. The “peace” that China has repeatedly called for would have considerable advantages for Russia in this form.
The Chinese President’s reaction shows that this is unlikely to change. Xi explained to Scholz which role the People’s Republic plays in his opinion: China is not a party or a participant in the Ukraine crisis. Instead, Xi named four vague principles to avoid further escalation:
With this, Xi is trying to blame the “Ukraine crisis” not on Russia (overall interest), but rather on the USA and the West (selfish gains and oil on the fire). In contrast, according to Xi, China has always “promoted the peace talks in its own way.” In other words, Russia is not the aggressor and the West is somehow to blame for the war. Presenting these points to Scholz in such a way could also be interpreted as impertinence, not as a concession.
At the very least, Xi promised that China would support an international peace conference-”in due course” and only if both Ukraine and Russia participated. Switzerland currently plans such a conference, to which it is also inviting pro-Russian states. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already rejected the initiative and was not even invited.
The meager results contradict Scholz’s announcements. Before the talks with Xi, Scholz said he would speak frankly with China’s President. “The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and Russia’s armament have a very significant negative impact on security in Europe.”
During the talks, he then asked Xi “to influence Russia so that Putin finally calls off his senseless campaign, withdraws his troops and ends this terrible war.” Scholz warned of damage to the “entire international order.” The war and Russia’s armament violated “a principle of the United Nations Charter, the principle of the inviolability of state borders.” China is Russia’s closest ally. Only a few days ago, the United States accused Beijing and several companies of supporting the Russian war machine.
Overall, China’s President had many kind words for his guest from Berlin. “The two countries do not have clashing fundamental interests between them and pose no security threat to each other. Cooperation between China and Germany benefits not just the two sides but also the world at large.” Relations should be viewed “from a long-term and strategic perspective.”
Xi’s words are the expected charm offensive toward the German Chancellor. Beijing sees Germany as having a key role in an increasingly critical environment, from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Beijing also counts on the Federal Chancellor in Germany. Scholz is expected to balance out the critical stance of Foreign Minister Baerbock and Economy Minister Habeck and thus ensure a China-friendly policy in Germany.
The Middle East conflict also came up in Beijing on Tuesday. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke on the phone with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The latter promised that Iran was willing to exercise restraint, adding that Iran had only acted in self-defense to the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria. According to Xinhua, Wang said that China condemned the attack on the Iranian embassy in the strongest possible terms – as for Iran’s current attack on Israel, he only said that it was a consequence of the conflict in Gaza.
In a second phone call, Wang agreed to work closely with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah to avoid further escalation of the confrontation. According to Xinhua, Saudi Arabia expects China to play an active and important role in this regard.
Xi warned Scholz against economic protectionism: Germany and China depended on industry and supported free trade, Xi said at the meeting with the Chancellor, according to Chinese sources. “It is important for the two countries to stay vigilant against the rise of protectionism,” he said. According to the Chinese readout after the meeting, Germany rejects protectionism (德国反对保护主义，支持自由贸易). “As an important member of the EU, Germany is willing to play an active role in promoting the good development of EU-China relations,” Scholz said.
Cooperation between Germany and China does not represent a risk, but is “a guarantee for a stable bilateral relationship.” Xi cited sectors such as mechanical engineering and the automotive industry as examples. He believes that Berlin and Beijing should also look at issues of production capacity from a market and global perspective based on the laws of economics.
Recently, the focus has been on the accusation that China was using state investment to ensure that Chinese companies were producing too much and damaging other markets with their cheap products. However, Beijing sees things differently: China’s exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products have not only enriched global supply and alleviated global inflationary pressure, but also contributed greatly to the global response to climate change (中国电动汽车、锂电池、光伏产品等出口不仅丰富了全球供给、缓解了全球通胀压力，也为全球应对气候变化和绿色低碳转型做出了巨大贡献), Xi said, according to Chinese reports.
Meanwhile, Scholz advocated a rules-based trading system, as embodied by the World Trade Organisation (WTO): “Both China and Germany are trading nations that benefit greatly” from membership in the World Trade Organisation. “We are committed to strengthening the rules for global trade and developing them further together with the other WTO members.” Scholz said at a press conference in the evening that there was clearly a need to discuss the issue of overcapacity. “We need to talk about subsidy competition.” However, subsidies exist “everywhere in the world.” Scholz again emphasized the position of the WTO. He did not directly criticize Beijing’s economic policy. This clearly showed the differing tone of Berlin and Brussels.
The CEOs of the two German car manufacturers, BMW and Mercedes, warned of a trade dispute, for example, over Chinese EVs in Europe. “What we can’t afford as an export nation are increasing trade barriers,” Mercedes CEO Ole Kallenius told German public broadcaster ARD in Beijing regarding the EU investigation into whether Chinese EVs are distorting market competition.
Like BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, Kallenius described China as an opportunity rather than a risk. Referring to Scholz’s visit, Kallenius said that Sino-German economic relations should not only be cultivated, but also expanded. “Withdrawing from such a large market is not an alternative, but rather strengthening our position,” he said about the company’s strategy in China, the world’s second-largest economy. BMW already has a global presence, which is the best strategy for minimizing dependencies on one market, said the BMW CEO in response to political calls for diversification. He also voiced skepticism about EU investigations into Chinese EVs.
The unusually large contingent of three ministers almost resembled the format of the government consultations held every two years – and not a routine trip by the Federal Chancellor to China. However, Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, Agriculture Minister Cem Oezdemir (both Green Party), and Transport and Digital Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) did not hesitate to accompany Olaf Scholz to Beijing.
The line-up of government members once again underlined China’s importance – and that the government is well aware of this. The ministers all presented concerns from their respective ministries that require close coordination with China. They discussed data privacy in cars, swine fever and plastics recycling.
When it comes to artificial intelligence and autonomous driving, international standards are inconceivable without China. The People’s Republic has already invested billions in both areas and is a world leader in autonomous driving. Minister of Transport and Digital Affairs Wissing and State Secretary for Economic Affairs Franziska Brantner (Greens) traveled to China to look closely at the trend. They agreed on a declaration of intent with the Chinese Minister for Industry and Information Technology, Jin Zhuanglong, on “cooperation in autonomous driving.” This shows that, unlike the US, for example, China continues to focus on cooperation in future technologies wherever possible.
“We are currently in a crucial development phase in which the aim is to bring the technology from the laboratories to the streets,” said Wissing in a statement. Like Chancellor Scholz before him, he emphasized that the key to this lies in fair competition and stressed the importance of common standards and norms. The joint declaration of intent is intended to contribute to this. Meanwhile, Brantner mentioned the increasingly restrictive data legislation in China, which in some cases places tight limits on cross-border data transfer in particular. She also reiterated the call for a level playing field, a recurring theme throughout the German visit.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke also signed a joint action plan on “Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency” with the Chairman of the powerful Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Zheng Shanjie, on Tuesday. The plan envisages a regular exchange on value chains of important materials, including plastics and metals. The aim is to achieve more efficient use of these materials in packaging, construction, and industry. According to a report by the German press agency dpa, particular focus will be placed on the automotive industry and the manufacture of batteries.
The action plan is part of the Sino-German climate and transformation dialogue agreed at the intergovernmental consultations in June 2023. However, the two countries have so far had different ideas about the circular economy. China tends to focus more on resource efficiency and productivity, while Europe prioritizes how product volumes can be reduced to conserve natural resources. The German side would also like to provide China with elements of the German National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS), which the German government hopes to adopt by summer 2024.
Agriculture Minister Cem Oezdemir met his counterpart Tang Renjian on Tuesday. According to a post by his ministry on X, discussion topics included cooperation in the protection of global goods as a prerequisite for food security as well as market access for beef, apples, and veterinary medicines. Another topic was African swine fever.
The Ministry of Agriculture will provide more detailed information about Oezdemir’s meeting this Wednesday. In the run-up to the visit, Oezdemir was already expected to negotiate in Beijing about lifting the Chinese import ban on German pork, among other things. This is in the interests of livestock farmers, who used to export large quantities to China, where pork consumption has increased in recent years. Like other countries, China had suspended imports in 2021 due to African Swine Fever (ASF). However, South Korea had already resumed trade in May 2023. This could mean that Beijing’s continued ban could also have political reasons. Collaboration: Nicolas Heronymus
Sinolytics is a research-based business consultancy entirely focused on China. It advises European companies on their strategic orientation and specific business activities in the People’s Republic.
Germany and China intend to cooperate more closely on autonomous and connected driving. On the Chinese side, Jin Zhuanglong, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, signed a corresponding declaration of intent with German Transport Minister Volker Wissing, Federal Minister and State Secretary for Economic Affairs Franziska Brantner on Tuesday.
Jin Zhuanglong (金壮龙) is regarded as a technological authority in China. Until he was appointed Minister of Information in July 2022, he was primarily known as an aerospace specialist. It is not uncommon in China for engineers to also pursue a political career all the way to the top of the Communist Party, especially if they work in the state economy.
Just like Jin. From 2012 to 2017, he headed the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China – Comac for short – China’s state-owned aircraft manufacturer as Chairman of the Board, Party Secretary and General Manager. In these positions, he promoted the development of the C919, the country’s first domestically developed passenger aircraft. When the aircraft embarked on its maiden flight in 2017, it was considered a new chapter in the global aviation market, and not just in the People’s Republic.
Born in 1964 in Zhoushan in Zhejiang province, Jin embarked on this path as soon as he started studying at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) in the 1980s, where he also earned his Master of Engineering in missile development and design. His PhD in industrial economics followed in 2003 at Fudan University, also in Shanghai. On the side, Jin attended training courses at the Central Party School in preparation for a political career. He had already joined the CCP in 1984 at the age of 20.
After a stint as Director of the Shanghai Aerospace Bureau, where he further developed the Long March 4B missile, among other things, Jin was appointed Secretary-General of the Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense in 2004. In 2017, he became Executive Deputy Director of the Central Military-Civilian Integration Development Committee Office. He was also a delegate to the 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party.
As minister, Jin is now responsible for sectors such as the internet, telecommunications, new energy vehicles and big data. Shortly after taking office, he declared that he wanted to promote greater international cooperation. Photos of him courting Tesla boss Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook during their visits to China in 2023 went around the world. However, Jin also called for China to become independent of foreign countries in critical technologies in the party magazine Qiushi last year. “In the face of increasingly fierce international competition,” China must “increase the resilience of the industrial supply chain” and the “level of security.” This is the only way to ensure “that our country can win in the game of superpowers.”
When talking to foreign companies, Jin maintains a friendly and open-minded demeanor. At the Beijing China Development Forum in late March, he invited foreign and multinational companies to come to China to set up research and development centers. “We will provide service and safeguards for worldwide scientists, entrepreneurs and investors who come to China to innovate and start businesses,” he said. China would continue to expand its high-level opening-up to create a “first-class, market-orientated, rule-of-law and international business environment.”
After Jin’s speech, Mercedes CEO Ola Kallenius took the stage at the forum. He explained that China’s openness to different technological concepts – especially in rapidly developing technologies such as autonomous driving – would certainly help strengthen China’s position as an innovation hub. However, China must create “harmonized international standards and regulations” that are fair and guarantee free trade. Fabian Peltsch
The bright yellow rape blossom is followed by the bright pink color of the bougainvillea in Chinese spring. The false flowers, which mainly grow in subtropical regions, have also become a tourist attraction, like here in a valley in the Qingxiu Mountains near Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Autonomous Region.
A visitor center has been built here on the hillside specifically for admiring the magnificent flowers. The bougainvillea is also popular as a potted plant in southern China – it would not survive the cold winter in the north.
