Wednesday, December 1st, 2021
Greens over foreign policy plans
Baerbock announces more toughness against China
Annalena Baerbock will represent Germany on the international stage for the new federal government. In an interview, the foreign minister-designate outlines her ideas for a European policy on China. She also considers import restrictions conceivable.
The head of the Greens and foreign minister-designate Annalena Baerbock has announced a tougher course against authoritarian states like China. “Dialogue is the central building block of international politics. But that doesn’t mean that you have to gloss over things or keep quiet”, Baerbock told the daily newspaper “taz”. “For me, a value-based foreign policy is always an interplay of dialogue and rigor.”
Baerbock commented on the question of whether Germany would confront China more with a green foreign minister. The Green politician said, referring to the outgoing government under Chancellor Angela Merkel: “Elaborate silence is not a form of diplomacy in the long run, even if some have seen it that way in recent years.”
Is the Olympic boycott coming?
Specifically, Baerbock proposed, among other things, import restrictions for the European internal market. “When there is no longer access to products from regions like Xinjiang, where forced labor is common practice, it’s a big problem for an exporting country like China,” she said. “We Europeans should make much greater use of this lever of the common internal market.” A common European policy on China is necessary.
Baerbock did not rule out a boycott of the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing: “Of course we should also take a closer look at the Olympic Games. The US and UK are considering diplomatically boycotting the Olympic Games in China. The background is allegations of human rights violations in the People’s Republic.
Baerbock sees industrialized countries as having an obligation
Regarding the “external climate policy” formulated in the coalition agreement, Baerbock said: “I understand foreign policy as world domestic policy: crises work across borders. They can only be dealt with globally and cooperatively.” The biggest global crisis is the climate crisis. It is no longer enough to see that each country addresses its own climate goals, “we must finally join forces”.
The major climate conferences would be used as a framework, “but we also need more countries that show that a climate-neutral economy ensures prosperity and that other countries shake hands.” She sees the industrialized countries as responsible for this.
About the German G7 presidency in the coming year, Baerbock said: “I want it to become a launch pad for climate partnerships and a climate club that is open to all countries.” In order to achieve the Paris climate goals, massive investments in climate infrastructure are necessary, both nationally and internationally. “Climate investments are also an opportunity to strengthen European competitiveness,” said the foreign minister-designate.
Green leader defends ministerial selection
Baerbock wants to leave the internal party disputes of the Greens over the occupation of the ministerial posts behind. “Given the pandemic alone, it is important that the government is now formed very quickly and starts work,” she told the taz. The previous parliamentary group leader Anton Hofreiter, who missed out on the allocation of cabinet posts, would “play a strong role in the Bundestag,” emphasized Baerbock.
She defended that Cem Özdemir had won the bid for the Ministry of Agriculture and not the Hofreiter, who was well versed in agricultural issues. Özdemir has “always committed to the reconciliation of ecology and economy, and agriculture is a key department,” said Baerbock.