Germany’s ties with China could change fundamentally – SPD leader

Germany would be forced to cut ties with China in the way it has with Russia should China attack Taiwan, the leader of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) told the weekly Die Zeit in comments published on Wednesday.

Germany is working on a new China strategy that takes a more sober view of relations and aims to reduce dependence on Asia’s economic superpower.

“We must realise that tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in 10 years’ time, the time may come when China crosses borders,” Lars Klingbeil told Die Zeit.

“If China attacks Taiwan, our relationship with China will also fundamentally change, as is the case now with Russia.”

Scholz has said relations with Russia cannot return to the times before Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

Although Germany has helped to arm Ukraine to resist the invasion, a senior German lawmaker said on Wednesday that Germany would not provide Taiwan with weapons and had not been asked to do so.

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has been ramping up military, political and economic pressure to assert those claims.

via Reuters