Baerbock heads to Beijing ready to discuss sensitive topics
With only a few months to go before Germany’s next general election, Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock is heading to China. She has pledged to hold full and frank discussions there.
Berlin/Beijing (dpa) – Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday. The talks are taking place against the background of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the debate surrounding tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. The visit to the Chinese capital Beijing includes meetings with other policymakers and German economic representatives, said a Federal Foreign Office spokesperson in Berlin.
According to the Foreign Office, Baerbock plans to raise the issue of Russia’s war against Ukraine with Wang Yi. The human rights situation in China will also be on the agenda The meeting is also likely to cover the smouldering trade war between the European Union and China. The EU has accused Beijing of distortion of competition by providing subsidies. In October it imposed additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.