China welcomes Chancellor Olaf Scholz to power in Germany

Olaf Scholz during a visit to Beijing, as German Minister of Finance, in January 2019. AP - Wu Hong

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Olaf Scholz, who took office as German Chancellor on Wednesday, December 8, received congratulations from the Chinese President.

Xi Jinping says he is ready to raise Sino-German relations to a " 

new level

 ".

After sixteen years of generally good diplomacy between the two countries.

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in Beijing,

Stéphane Lagarde

Xi Jinping congratulates Scholz, while regretting Merkel a little.

The ex-chancellor was a " 

friend of China

 ", recalled the Chinese press in recent weeks.

For sixteen years, the latter came almost every year here to sell cars and machine tools, while visiting lawyers and human rights activists.

Angela Merkel worked for rapprochement with Beijing, being both aware of the importance of the Chinese market for German industry, and of the functioning of the regime due to a youth spent in the former East Germany.

The Chinese leaders will miss Merkel, even though Olaf Scholz probably embodies the best continuity, from Beijing's point of view.

The new chancellor was federal finance minister when China liberalized its access to the banking sector.

He had good ties with Chinese officials when he was mayor of Hamburg.

And he spoke out against any idea of ​​decoupling from the world's second largest economy.

What to maintain good relations.

"

 China is ready to deepen mutual political trust and expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields with Germany,

 " said Xi Jinping, quoted by Xinhua.

Except that Olaf Scholtz does not govern alone.

In the new ruling coalition in Berlin, German environmentalists and liberals have a tougher stance on China.

And the new chancellor may have less weight than Angela Merkel on foreign policy.

►Read also: In Germany, Olaf Scholz officially succeeds Angela Merkel

Newsletter

Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • China

  • Germany

  • Xi jinping

  • Olaf Scholz

  • Angela Merkel

  • Diplomacy

  • Trade and Exchanges

  • Economy