German Chancellor invites Chinese premier for talks in Berlin As Europe Scramble To Understand China Policy

Olaf Scholz has invited Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang for talks in Berlin June 20 as the German chancellor seeks to ease the tensions between Europe and China. 

Scholz will aim to enlist Beijing as a key partner on challenges like peace and climate change while setting out red lines to any changes to the status quo in Taiwan, according to people familiar with the plans. 

Germany is determined to reduce its footprint in China with Berlin still struggling from the consequences of its over-reliance on Russian gas. And while Germany views Beijing as an adversary in certain regards, Scholz is against decoupling from China, an important trade partner and a crucial destination for German exports.

“We are against de-coupling, we are in favor of de-risking,” Scholz said when asked about the European Union’s stance toward China following a meeting of the bloc’s leaders in Brussels last month.

“Companies all over the world are trying to draw the right conclusions from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: that they need to secure their supply chains, sales markets and direct investments so they can survive difficult moments,” he added. “That’s taking place now and I think will define the next decade or two.”

Both governments have been planning the bilateral meeting for several months, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the meeting hasn’t been officially announced.