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Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Judgment and Prediction: Germany's Next-Generation Foreign Policy in the Light of Winter Olympics
Chan Kung

If the future trend of German foreign policy is analyzed against the backdrop of the process of formulating decisions in response to the Winter Olympics, it can be found that partisan opinion has little influence on German policy. Annalena Baerbock, co-leader of the Green Party (Alliance 90/The Greens), began her new career as German Foreign Minister at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Liverpool. On December 12, Baerbock spoke on a German television program about her views on dealing with the Beijing Winter Olympics, tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Iran, and other issues.

"First of all, I have been involved in sports of some intensity for many years. The Olympics is a sporting celebration that is held on a regular basis. Athletes spend years and sometimes half their lives preparing for the Olympics. That's why the Olympics should not be used for political purposes," Baerbock said on the television program about her views on the Beijing Games.

In response to a question about the human rights situation in China, Baerbock said that, "we will take into account what has happened recently, as well as the events related to athletes, and discuss them with other European colleagues in Brussels". She stressed that there are many issues that require cooperation with China. "China is a partner of the Europeans and the G7", she said. "There are many global problems that can only be solved by working together. But China is also our competitor and our institutional rival". "That is why there are dilemmas (for the EU) in foreign policy (for co-operation involving China)”.

As things stand, Germany's future foreign policy will continue the mercantilism prevailed during Angela Merkel's era. In this case, German companies with ties to China, such as Volkswagen, BMW, and Siemens, exert a great influence, even a dominant influence, on German foreign policy. To give an idea of this, the following example can be cited. German companies supply engines for almost all of China's new major warships until 2021. This was not interrupted until 2021 due to continued U.S. involvement. The German companies are reported to have argued that those engines were for both military and civilian purposes. Of course, all the engines of heavy tanks and tank transporters were also German products or using German technology.

This shows that the friendly relationship between China and German companies goes beyond the close relationship between Germany and the EU.

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