Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday received German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the first G7 leader to visit China since the coronavirus pandemic began, warning of the ease with which mutual political trust could be eroded. The meetings of the social-democratic politician with the leadership of China are called productive by the Chinese media.

Analysts say Scholz’s one-day visit marks the first rapprochement between China and the West after years of rising tensions, with talks over Russia’s war in Ukraine, climate change, the pandemic and mutual market access.

During a lunch with Mr. Scholz, Mr. Xi emphasized that political trust is easy to break but hard to rebuild, and that both sides should take care of it, according to a report from the meeting by state news agency Xinhua.

Xi Jinping also told Scholz that China and Germany should respect each other and look after each other’s core interests, Xinhua reported.

Earlier, while welcoming Mr. Soltz to the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing, Mr. Xi urged the two countries to cooperate more closely on international issues. “As large and influential countries, in times of change and unrest, China and Germany should cooperate even more to contribute more to world peace and development,” state broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi Jinping as saying. “Currently, the international situation is complex and unstable,” he said.

Before their lunch meeting, Mr. Scholz told Mr. Xi that it was good that the two leaders met in person at tense times, and that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine posed problems for the rules-based global order, according to the transcript of comments provided. by the German delegation.

Mr. Scholz then met with outgoing Prime Minister Li Keqiang on Friday afternoon, where he told a Chinese politician that it was clear that China and Germany did not support the separation of their economies.

During a press conference after discussing with Mr. Lee, Mr. Scholz said that he also raised the issue of Taiwan. China claims the island as its own territory and has never stopped using force to take control of it.

“Like the United States and other countries, we adhere to the policy of one China. But I also made it clear that any change to Taiwan’s status quo must be peaceful or consensual,” he said.

Vaccine

The German Chancellor made it possible for German citizens in China to be vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine, and all those who were vaccinated in China received Chinese old technology.

At the same time, he said he asked the Chinese leadership to make the US-German vaccine available to all Chinese.

A BioNTech spokesman told Reuters that vaccines for the Chinese market will initially be imported. Obviously, this means that they can be produced there later.

The two countries “agreed to work closely together to fight the pandemic,” Mr Soltz said. “This also includes the approval of a BioNTech vaccine for expatriates in China. Of course, this can only be the first step. I hope that the program’s eligibility can soon be expanded with BioNTech’s general free vaccine offering,” said Mr. Soltz.

Immediately after the announcement, BioNTech shares rose 5% on the stock market.

The chancellor and a delegation of German businessmen flying with him were tested for COVID-19 after landing in Beijing on Friday morning, with Chinese medical personnel donning white overalls and boarding the plane to carry out the tests, according to a Reuters reporter accompanying the mission. .

The delegation was taken from the airport to a government guest house to await the results, which Mr. Soltz … quickly went berserk, according to his press office.

According to government sources, employees of the German embassy in Beijing who come into contact with the delegation will have to undergo standard quarantine procedures: seven days in a hotel and then three days at home.

China’s strict anti-COVID-19 policy and rising tensions with the West have made it impossible for leaders of major Western powers to visit China, and Xi only resumed overseas travel in September.

Following the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party last month, several foreign leaders visited China and received exemptions from strict coronavirus restrictions by being placed in “bubbles” to minimize the chances of bringing COVID cases into Beijing.

Soltz’s visit is a welcome development for the Chinese leadership, which will seek to strengthen relations with the outside world. “China, in the current domestic and international environment, demands his visit and what the two sides will jointly announce in Beijing, especially soon after the (party) convention,” said Xi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing.

Source: Reuters, DW TV.