Baerbock's Olympic boycott?

Better than kowtowing off China - and than Merkel's agile free-rider

Created: 12/30/2021, 05:22 AM

From: Georg Anastasiadis

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock;

Merkur editor-in-chief Georg Anastasiadis.

© Michael Kappeler / dpa / Marcus sleep

There is no alternative to Foreign Minister Baerbock's diplomatic boycott of the Olympic Games.

Any appeasement would send the wrong signal, comments Georg Anastasiadis.

Annalena Baerbock does not want to travel to China for the Olympic Games.

The numerous critics of the new Green Foreign Minister call this cheap symbolic politics.

But they don't have an alternative to offer either.

Because how shameful would the other symbol be?

China's leadership is throwing Hong Kong's democracy movement into jail, threatening Taiwan with war, putting minorities in re-education camps, blackmailing trading partners of the People's Republic - and our politicians should dutifully kowtow in Beijing and applaud the evil doings as willing claqueurs?

Baerbock and China: Appeasement would open the door to Beijing's even more ruthless approach

For Xi Jinping, the head of state for life, that would be the ultimate proof that the West lacks character.

And, worse: that he also lacks the courage to oppose the attempt by the new superpower China to dictate its rules to the world.

Such a form of appeasement would not only bring the region closer to war against Taiwan.

It would also open the door to even more ruthless action by the red mandarins against European trading partners who dare to revolt against unfair trading practices.

China needs trade with the West - it is not advisable to be cautious

Yes, China is a world economic power.

But in order to develop further and increase the prosperity of its people, it needs more than an alliance with technologically backward Russia.

Trade with the West is necessary, just as it is dependent on economic exchange with the gigantic Middle Kingdom.

For far too long, many countries have tried to buy China's benevolence with political stupidity, first and foremost Merkel's Germany, which, as an agile free-rider in world politics, hoped for good business.

In order to persuade China to adhere to global civilizational and economic standards, Europe must now send clear and common signals to Beijing.

A joint political boycott of the Games in Beijing is one of them.