Affront to Christian Lindner? China cancels FDP finance minister's visit

Officially, only "scheduling reasons" are responsible for this. But Beijing's cancellation of a visit by Christian Lindner could also be due to the FDP's China policy.

Munich/Berlin/Beijing – Is it a diplomatic affront to Christian Lindner – or just a glitch in scheduling? In any case, on Monday, China unilaterally cancelled the visit to Beijing planned for the middle of the week by the Federal Minister of Finance and FDP leader. This was announced by Lindner's ministry. According to the report, the Chinese Ministry of Finance had asked for a postponement of the trip to a later date for "scheduling reasons". So far, there has been no official statement from China.

Beijing has already offered an alternative date, it was said from Berlin. For example, the FDP politician should meet with his Chinese counterpart Liu Kun after Lindner's participation in talks of the G7 finance ministers in Japan. From the German side, however, such a short-term change of plan is not possible, it said. It is currently unclear whether there is more to the cancellation. "Whether the rejection has to do with the FDP's position that Germany must be self-confident vis-à-vis Beijing is speculation," the ministry said.

FDP distances itself from China – and seeks proximity to Taiwan

In China, the FDP's very critical attitude towards Beijing has long been registered. Unlike German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his SPD, the Liberals and the Greens are pursuing a China course that relies on increasing distancing themselves from the government in Beijing. Although both parties do not want an economic decoupling from the People's Republic, they do want risk minimization for German companies, which are increasingly expected to invest in other countries in the region. Human rights issues are also regularly emphasized by representatives of the FDP and the Greens.

In addition, the FDP advocates closer relations with Taiwan, the democratically governed island state, which China regards as a breakaway province and, if necessary, wants to "reunite" with the mainland by force. In January, for example, a ten-member FDP parliamentary group headed by defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann traveled to Taipei. "We have to realize that China is behaving more and more aggressively," Strack-Zimmermann told the Münchner Merkur after her visit.

China and Taiwan: This is what the conflict is about

China and Taiwan: This is what the conflict is about

China's foreign minister visits Germany despite Baerbock criticism

In mid-March, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, the FDP Minister of Education, also flew to Taiwan. It was the first visit by a German federal minister to the country in a quarter of a century. Beijing's embassy in Berlin expressed its "great displeasure" with the visit at the time. Lindner himself has recently expressed criticism of China several times. At the end of April, the finance minister said at the FDP federal party conference that the former "velvet paw" of the Federal Republic of Germany "was a mistake".

Most recently, Annalena Baerbock, a German minister, visited China in mid-April. During her visit to Tianjin and Beijing, the Green politician sharply criticized China's role in the Ukraine war, the human rights situation in the country and Beijing's threats to Taiwan. Her counterpart Qin Gang replied to Baerbock's sweeping blow that his country did not need a "teacher from the West". Despite the harsh tones, however, Qin is expected to make a return visit to Germany as early as this week. (sh)