There are three broad dynamics amongst stakeholders that will determine Germany’s China policy. But which strategic direction will it follow? This year, the new traffic light coalition will draft Germany’s first-ever China strategy. Now, German China policy is at an inflection point. So too did Angela Merkel herself, to some degree, when she acknowledged that Germany may have been " too naive in our approach to some cooperation partnerships". Former advisors and ministers in Merkel’s cabinet have grasped this as an opportunity to distance themselves from past policies. The inauguration of the new German government has offered a necessary break. Doing so would have openly admitted failure of a long-standing policy. Despite this shift, Berlin was incapable of departing from its political course. Beijing has become both more authoritarian domestically and antagonistic internationally. This change has, however, been for the worse, not the better. Over the course of Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure, China has changed. Driven by the Merkel Chancellery, under the guiding principle of Wandel durch Handel (change through trade), Germany pursued a transparent policy of engagement in the hopes of influencing China to become more liberal and democratic.īut this constellation has ended, or rather, it has failed. In the past, it was underpinned by a clear selection of people, principles, and policies. Germany’s China policy is at sea, drifting without an anchor.
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