After public criticism of the cancellation of a book presentation on Chinese head of state Xi Jinping, almost 500 listeners took part in an online substitute event at the University of Duisburg on Wednesday evening.
“The cancellation shocked us.
We didn't want to make an anti-China book, we wanted to describe what is, ”said the journalist and long-time China correspondent for“ Stern ”, Adrian Geiges.
Duisburg - Together with the “Welt” editor Stefan Aust, he wrote the book “Xi Jinping - the most powerful man in the world”.
The online event was originally supposed to take place at the German-Chinese Confucius Institutes in Duisburg and Hanover. However, Chinese authorities had put pressure on this. As a result, the book presentation was moved to the University of Duisburg-Essen. The influence would also be discussed with the Chinese partners at short notice, said the rector of the University of Duisburg-Essen, Ulrich Radtke. The freedom of science at German universities is not up for grabs. An event with the two authors is also planned in Hanover.
The online book presentation was moderated by the former German ambassador to China, Volker Stanzel.
Aust said the long-held image of Xi Jinping as a liberal reformer in the West was based more on wishful thinking.
Geiges called the Chinese head of state a “staunch national communist”, driven by fear of the unity of China.
That China could fall apart, "that is the fear that dominates it," said Geiges, referring to Xi Jinping.
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The situation in neighboring Taiwan, which China claims, is currently particularly dangerous, Geiges said.
If it came to a military conflict with China over Taiwan, it would also trigger a world economic crisis, "which we do not want to imagine," said Aust.
dpa