Armin Laschet

Until now, Armin Laschet has shied away from open confrontation with China. He defines China as a "system competitor and partner", emphasizes that human rights violations must be named, but also sees that dialogue and cooperation are necessary in certain areas. Laschet calls for Europe and Germany to strengthen their industrial policy, gain independence in certain technological areas (e.g. healthcare products, AI, battery cells, chips) and not become overly dependent on China. He is in favor of more European sovereignty and for the EU to develop its own strategic foreign trade initiative vis-à-vis China – such as a counterpart to China's Silk Road based on modern technologies and sustainable cooperation. Laschet has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2021 and is seen as a foreign policy player, especially on issues that affect Germany and Europe in competition with emerging powers. Laschet was a journalist before his political career.