The chairman of the Union faction in the Bundestag Friedrich Merz has called on the traffic light government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to take on more leadership responsibility internationally.

"We make ourselves smaller in our discussion in Germany than we are seen from outside, from many member states of the European Union, but also outside the EU," said Merz in an interview with the German Press Agency in Berlin.

“That means: Germany must be ready to take on more managerial responsibility.

Not leadership alone, but leadership responsibility for Europe.”

"This European Union did well when Germany was willing to take on this leadership responsibility," said the CDU chairman.

"This is due to our geostrategic location, to our situation as the most populous and also the economically strongest country in the European Union." Germany is seen in the world when we do this".

With a view to the federal government's planned new China strategy, with which the relationship with Beijing is to be readjusted under the leadership of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), Merz said that China is an authoritarian country and at the same time an important trading partner.

“We will not be able to completely detach ourselves from China.

But we also have to protect our interests towards China.”

Germany will not be able to become independent of China in the next few years.

But China will also not be able to be independent of the rest of the world, said the CDU politician.

"In this respect, the mutual dependency between China and Europe is likely to be greater than the one-sided dependency on Russian gas." Therein lies "a certain chance that we will gradually reduce dependencies, that we will diversify our supply chains".

Many companies do this, “and Germany as a whole should do the same”.

Merz calls for a National Security Council

Merz said of the future China strategy: "It would be good if there was not just a German, but a European China policy." China has a Europe strategy - but Europe does not have a China strategy.

In relation to Beijing, Germany and Europe would have to insist on strict reciprocity.

“What we Chinese companies allow the Chinese state to do in Europe must also be allowed to European companies in China.

Then there will also be a simultaneity of interests.” European companies are currently not allowed to do in China what Chinese companies are allowed to do in Europe.

Referring to the Foreign Minister, Merz said: "Ms. Baerbock says a lot, and a lot of things that are right.

It's just not often reflected in government policy." When she publicly gave the chancellor advice during his trip to China as to what he should and shouldn't say there, "there's an obvious conflict in the federal government about foreign policy, even on questions of style “.

A few weeks ago, the Chancellor only pushed through the participation of the Chinese state-owned company Cosco in a terminal in the port of Hamburg against the resistance of several of his ministers.

Baerbock then reminded him of the coalition agreement during a trip abroad.

Merz also repeated his call for the formation of a National Security Council.

Germany needs a value-oriented, but also interest-based foreign policy.

Part of this interest-driven foreign policy is “that we redefine our national security.

And national security involves a National Security Council.

And he belongs in the chancellery.”