In European politics it has become something of a truism that Germany is first among equals. Where Germany goes, so goes Europe, as a leadership role is ascribed to Berlin in a variety of issues from the Eurozone crisis of 2012 to dealing with COVID-19 and its economic consequences. There are signs that the German government, long reluctant to openly pick up the mantle of leadership, may be gradually warming to the idea of playing a leading role. To give a recent example, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s vocal response to the poisoning of Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny certainly suggests her government has concluded that it should confront Russian transgressions when it cannot count on Washington to take the lead in this respect. Germany’s policies with regard to China may also shape the policies of the European Union (EU) toward the Asian superpower. For example, the German decision on whether and to what extent to allow Huawei to build the country’s 5G network is expected to reverberate across the EU, although by now its influence may be diminished as France, the U.K., and others have already made their choice. Regardless, a tougher approach toward China is taking shape in Berlin. Perhaps this is why Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s press conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas on September 1 went less than smoothly.
Sep 2020. Germany announces shifting approach to China
