China News Service, July 16 (Liu Danyi) On the 15th local time, German Chancellor Merkel visited the United States. Since Merkel has stated that she will no longer participate in this year's German election, this is likely to be her last visit to the United States during her tenure.

　　On the occasion of leaving office, Merkel's "farewell trip" not only attempts to repair the fragile transatlantic relationship, but also focuses on the cooperation between the two sides in the coming months and years.

However, due to deep-rooted differences of interest on a number of issues, the analysis said that it may be difficult to achieve a breakthrough at this meeting.

Data map: German Chancellor Merkel.

Merkel went to the U.S. before leaving office

What are the arrangements for "Farewell Visit"?

　　Before leaving office, Merkel decided to go to the United States again.

　　This is Merkel's 19th official visit to the United States as German Chancellor. She will also be the first European leader to greet at the White House during Biden's tenure.

　　Merkel's schedule on the 15th includes breakfast with U.S. Vice President Harris, one-on-one meeting with Biden, and attending a dinner hosted by the Bidens at the White House.

Merkel will also deliver a speech after receiving an honorary degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

　　Jackson Janes, a senior researcher at the German Marshall Foundation, said that Merkel may advise Biden on the United States' expectations for the next German government.

"I think this is a feeling of expressing'thank you for the memories', and perhaps I will also mention something that (Biden) should consider when dealing with the next German government."

Data map: US President Biden.

Controversial issues are tricky

"Beixi No. 2" is the focus of the talks

　　The German weekly magazine Der Spiegel stated that although the differences between Germany and the United States are much smaller compared to the Trump era, many issues in the talks between Merkel and Biden are still very tricky.

　　The leaders of the two countries will discuss a series of common challenges such as ending the new crown epidemic, tackling climate change, promoting economic prosperity and international security, which may cover the following topics:

　　——"Beixi No. 2"

　　Bloomberg reported that nothing can aggravate the mistrust between virtues more than the "Beixi No. 2" project.

　　The United States has repeatedly pressured Germany to abandon cooperation with Russia on the "Beixi-2" pipeline, which has been strongly bounced back by Germany.

This project can bypass Ukraine to transport Russian natural gas to European countries, and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2021.

　　Former U.S. President Trump has announced sanctions against companies participating in the "North Stream II" project.

After Biden took office, the US government announced in May 2021 that companies and CEOs related to the project would be exempted from sanctions, but it did not change its opposition to the construction of the "Beixi No. 2" project.

　　Some diplomats predict that Merkel may discuss some specific measures with Biden to alleviate Ukraine's losses.

But Merkel has stated on the 12th that she does not believe that this meeting will complete an agreement to resolve related disputes.

Data map: On May 21, 2021 local time, as the new crown epidemic eased and vaccination spread, many places such as the German capital Berlin began to allow restaurants and bars to operate outdoors.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Peng Dawei

　　-Entry restrictions

　　The entry restrictions imposed by the United States on EU citizens have not been lifted since it took effect in March 2020.

Although the European Union has lifted the entry restrictions for American citizens from the new crown epidemic in June 2021, the Biden administration seems to have no move to implement reciprocal measures in the short term.

　　The European Union has some expectations for Merkel's visit to the United States, hoping that she can use the opportunity of her last trip to the United States before retirement to persuade Biden to relax entry restrictions.

　　——Vaccine patent right

　　In May, the Biden government announced in a high profile that it supported the temporary freezing of patent protection for the new crown vaccine.

The White House stated that freezing patents will help as many people as possible vaccinate as quickly as possible on a global scale.

　　However, the German government expressed firm opposition.

Merkel said that freezing vaccine patents is "a wrong path." A more effective approach should be to expand production capacity based on patent authorization.

　　The German and American officials did not disclose whether the leaders of the two countries will specifically discuss this thorny issue during the meeting.

However, some NGOs have announced that they will hold demonstrations during Merkel's visit to Washington to protest the German government's position.

Data map: On May 18, 2020 local time, the opening ceremony of the Seventy-third World Health Assembly was held in the form of a video conference.

The picture shows the remote speech by German Chancellor Merkel taken in Berlin, Germany.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Peng Dawei

The White House trip is hard to touch the root

Transatlantic partnership is difficult to repair

　　After experiencing the vicious talk of the Trump era, for this visit, both Germany and the United States have a willingness to improve their relations.

However, the US "Wall Street Journal" pointed out that the visit will bring a new and more friendly tone, but it may not help resolve long-term differences of interest in transatlantic relations.

　　Since Trump assumed the presidency of the United States, relations between the United States and Germany have continued to deteriorate.

In addition to the "Beixi No. 2", the two sides have been in constant discord in many areas of economy, politics, diplomacy, and security.

　　A senior German official said: "The tone of the talks is restored once again, and the U.S. and Germany will discuss related issues like partners. But in terms of substantive issues, it is clear that the United States will not change some key policies." "Trump is in a lot of The position on the issue is that of the United States, but he has adopted an aggressive approach."

　　In a latest survey conducted by the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations, only 19% of the respondents believe that the United States is an ally with them with "values ​​and interests."

Most people said they believed that the American political system had collapsed.

　　The New York Times pointed out that the transatlantic partnership has never been as mutually beneficial as its advocates say.

Europeans hurt by Trump's "America First" policy may be destined to disappoint Biden.

Because they will realize that the United States is still going its own way.

Data map: German Chancellor Merkel inspects the NATO rapid reaction force stationed in the northern German city of Munster.

"Iron Hit" Merkel

"Flowing Water" US President

　　During her 16 years in power, Merkel has dealt with four American presidents.

Merkel's contacts with every American president are the epitome of German-American relations.

　　In 2006, when Merkel, as the new German Chancellor, shook hands with former US President George W. Bush for the first time, bilateral relations between Germany and the United States were at a low temperature.

Bush said in an interview with German media a few days ago that the rapid improvement in relations between the two countries has a lot to do with the fact that he and Merkel have been quite in line from the beginning.

　　After George W. Bush left office, Merkel's relationship with former US President Barack Obama has not been smooth sailing, but has gradually improved over time.

　　In June 2011, Merkel received the Medal of Freedom from Obama for her efforts in European politics, the highest civilian medal in the United States.

Observers pointed out that this is a good proof of German-American relations.

　　In 2013, there were reports that the US National Security Agency tapped the phone of the German government, including Merkel.

Merkel said that "espionage among friends" is unacceptable.

But she did not let this matter cast a lasting shadow on transatlantic relations.

　　As for Obama's successor, Trump, Merkel is far from her views on many issues.

Not only did the two fail to agree with each other's political opinions, the outside world believed that the personal relationship between the two was also very tense.

Data map: At the 2018 G7 summit in Canada, the leaders of the six countries "siege" Trump.

　　At the G7 summit in Canada in June 2018, Trump crossed his hands on his chest and his expression was stern, while Merkel held up the table with both hands and faced Trump's photos, which attracted the attention of the world.

People can feel the tension and embarrassment even if they are not there.

　　After Biden was elected President of the United States, Merkel unabashedly breathed a sigh of relief.

When Biden was vice president, he and Merkel had a harmonious relationship, but the two were never particularly close.

　　According to German media, when Merkel took office 16 years ago, almost "every American family had a very active personal relationship with Germany."

At that time, there were also some American veterans and senior politicians who either fought against Nazi Germany in World War II or were stationed in West Germany for many years before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

　　No matter who succeeds Merkel's position, he faces a major task, which is to inspire the younger generation to maintain "close transatlantic relations."

For this generation, the horrors of World War II and the Iron Curtain are far away, and the past will no longer be sufficient as an argument.

(Finish)