Berlin’s drift towards the Indo-Pacific strategy comes as Europe has expressed concern about China’s human rights record and its economic dependence on the Asian country, Reported Nikkei Asian Review.
“We want to help shape (the future global order) so that it is based on rules and international cooperation, not on the law of the strong. That is why we have intensified cooperation with those countries that share our democratic and liberal values. “. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on September 2.
On that day, Germany adopted the new guidelines regarding the Indo-Pacific approach, highlighting the importance of promoting the rule of law and open markets in the region. The Indo-Pacific strategy has been endorsed by other countries, including India, Japan, Australia, and members of ASEAN.
According to the Nikkei Asian Review, China had been Germany’s diplomatic focal point in Asia, with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel visiting the country almost annually. It should also be noted that China also accounts for 50 percent of Germany’s trade with the Indo-Pacific region.
However, according to expectations, economic growth has not opened up the Chinese market. German companies operating in China have been forced to hand over technology by the Chinese government. Furthermore, talks between the European Union (EU) and China on an investment treaty to solve these problems have stalled, raising concerns about Berlin’s growing economic dependence on Beijing.
This came amid growing criticism of China’s draconian national security law in Hong Kong and its concentration camps for Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, which has fueled growing resistance to Merkel’s pro-China policies.
Germany’s new Indo-Pacific approach takes a tough stance on China, including criticism of the huge debt burden of countries participating in Beijing’s Belt and Road (BRI) initiative.
German companies have also raised concerns about doing business and protecting their intellectual property in China, especially after Chinese home appliance maker Midea Group bought German robot maker Kuka in late 2016.
Europe appears to be reassessing its diplomatic relations with China. Last year, the EU called China a “strategic competitor”, and focused its commercial and technological rivalry with Beijing.
“There has been a shift towards a more sober strategy in Beijing,” said Patrick Koellner of the German Institute for Global and Area Studies, as quoted by the Nikkei Asian Review.
Germany now plans to work with France on the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Berlin will seek to strengthen its influence on this issue by having the bloc on its side.
France and the United Kingdom They have started to freeze Chinese telecom giant Huawei from its 5G networks. Recently, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi had gone on an official five-country tour in Europe, but the visit did not gain ground and instead caused a growing rift between the two sides.
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