With "Markus Lanz", Lauterbach was confronted with a tough accusation because of the planned release of cannabis.
Nevertheless, he vehemently defended the project.
Munich — How does China see the world?
And how do we view China with its unchanged strict corona measures?
Markus Lanz wanted to pursue these questions in his Tuesday show.
If the Chinese company Cosco is allowed to buy shares in the port of Hamburg, then that would obviously be a propaganda victory, he asked China correspondent Miriam Steimer, for example.
she agrees
"It definitely is." The main concern for the Chinese is to remain in business with the West.
The deal is "harmless", says Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), on the other hand, and it has also been "reduced again".
A remark that raises new questions for Lanz.
“Then why was it reduced?” he asks, “when it is so harmless”.
There is a legitimate fear of dependency.
China would get insights into important data and documents, and you can see how things are developing in other European countries.
Only ports in which China is involved are still in business and can unload goods from China.
Lauterbach has to admit that the Hamburg port deal has its downsides: "Of course, symbolically it has an unfavorable component." That is "a nice formulation," says Lanz with a sarcastic undertone.
"You should start tomorrow at the Foreign Office."
These guests discussed with Markus Lanz
Karl Lauterbach
(Federal Minister of Health)
Kerstin Münstermann
(journalist)
Miriam Steimer
(journalist, ZDF)
Elmar Theveßen
(journalist, ZDF)
The still strict and irrational corona measures in China are also an issue at Lanz.
He uploaded images of thousands of workers fleeing a factory that produces for the Apple group.
Correspondent Steimer puts the unbelievable scenes in context: “This is the propaganda that has been telling people for three years how dangerous the corona virus is supposed to be.” The Chinese government is fooling people and claiming: “We only need these tough measures to save lives.”
Lauterbach nods.
The workers would flee because they were afraid of being taken to one of the countless corona quarantine camps.
Millions of people would now eke out an existence in these internment camps made up of thousands of living containers.
People are afraid of the next positive test and would therefore flee as a precaution, says Steimer.
"They just want to go home." After the Chinese People's Congress, the situation got even worse.
That mindset can become dangerous.
Steimer emphasizes: "It is no longer just the country that oppresses minorities, but possibly a much greater threat." For the West, this means: keep talking.
"Not talking to China is not an option."
Theveßen on the Hamburg port deal: "China is doing this out of tough economic interests."
To be on the safe side, Lauterbach rejects any contact guilt: "I've never been to China," he says.
He has never visited Russia either.
"I'm not suspicious." Lanz reassures him: "It wouldn't have been a problem if you had been there." Lauterbach still considers the Hamburg port deal to be extremely important.
Otherwise the current trip to China by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) would be “superfluous”.
That in turn makes Lanz prick up his ears: "Seven minutes ago you said it was a small thing and now it was a prerequisite for the trip?"
And ZDF colleague Elmar Theveßen explains: "China is doing this out of tough economic interests." They would get an insight into the data, and Europe would simply allow it.
Unlike the US.
“The Americans put a stop to where the Chinese could exert pressure.
Germany will also have this experience.” One consequence, for example, is that important substances for medicines would no longer be delivered to Europe.
But Lauterbach dismisses it: "We don't have to rely on China for scientific research." All substances can "also be produced here in Europe without any problems".
"Maybe in five years," says journalist Kerstin Münstermann and asks: "But what if the fever juice for the child doesn't come now?"
Markus Lanz with a violent accusation at Lauterbach – "You talk drugs the word"
With the topic of drugs, the ring opens for the particularly heated side of this evening: the planned legalization of cannabis.
Lauterbach vehemently defends the draft law from his ministry.
He is suitable to dry up the black market.
Prerequisite: the price must be right, and politicians must therefore set it.
Lanz is stunned.
"Don't we have other problems?" he asks.
"Why do we have to allow smoking of all things now?" Lauterbach explains: "We have an increase in cannabis consumption and more admixtures with additives that can be addictive.
It couldn't be worse.” Therefore, government intervention is now necessary.
Steimer can't understand that: "I think it's strong to sell legalization as a prevention program," she says with a smile.
But Lauterbach defends his line, and the more intensively he does so, the more angry moderator Lanz becomes: "I can feel how you are arguing against your own inner convictions all the time," he assumes of the minister.
Because the fact is: "The black market will continue to offer cannabis with a higher concentration, because your stuff may not boom that much." For Lanz, the planned release is at most "an identity-creating project" that is celebrated in the social networks and other abuses should distract from Corona and vaccination.
“I have a feeling you have to sell something here.
Nothing in you can believe it.
Now you're sitting here talking about drugs.
Because everyone is drinking, everyone should now be smoking weed.” Lauterbach interjects: “Then 18 to 25-year-olds shouldn’t be allowed to drink alcohol either.
Markus Lanz: Conclusion of the talk
In the partly heated mood, a crucial point almost went unnoticed.
In order not to end the evening as "cannabis minister", Lauterbach assured that he wants to protect the hospitals from illiquidity in the current energy crisis.
"No hospital will have a problem because it cannot pay for inflation," promised Lauterbach.
The federal government will make “significant sums” available for this purpose.
How much exactly, he wants to announce this Wednesday.
(Michael Goermann)