As of: March 26, 2024, 9:38 a.m
By: Mike Schier
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How to deal with China?
Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) gives a clear answer during his trip: The great Reich remains a close partner of Bavaria.
Despite all the political difficulties.
Chengdu – And suddenly someone puts this stuffed panda in his hand.
Markus Söder, the state guest from distant Bavaria, stands in the Giant Panda Research Base in Chengdu, China - and cuddles a stuffed animal.
He caresses it, he even kisses it.
Several times.
The diplomats look irritated.
But the cameramen and photographers can't get enough.
And certainly not Söder.
Five days in China.
The Prime Minister's first really big trip abroad in a long time.
And the start is not in Beijing, but in the southwest of the country, a three-hour flight from the capital.
Chengdu is one of those Chinese megacities that no one in Europe knows about.
More than 20 million inhabitants, high-rise buildings, shopping malls, western flair.
During the pandemic, Sichuan Province, whose capital is Chengdu, became the third Bavarian partner region in the Middle Kingdom via video link.
And now Söder is finally there in person to document this with a signature on an agreement.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) knows how to stage himself on his trip to China.
© Peter Kneffel/dpa
Bavaria's Prime Minister Söder in China - A state trip for Instagram
Anyone who knows Söder knows: the rigid protocol with the strong man of the Communist Party is only a short mandatory program.
The very first appointment on Monday morning leads to a date with the pandas - the one made of fabric and the real ones.
Pandas are the symbol of Chengdu; posters and symbols can be found on almost every street corner.
250 pandas live in the breeding station, which resembles an American nature park.
Recently, the two Berlin-born Pit and Paule, who endured the Bavarian Prime Minister's visit with Berlin's ignorance, are back again.
Hopefully the camera teams will move on soon.
Yes, it's a day of photo ops.
After the pandas we go to the Wuhou Shrine.
And then to the maglev train.
At some point, on a soccer field at a girls' game, it almost becomes too much for even Söder.
FC Bayern, Adidas, Playmobil – everyone still wants pictures.
Jerseys will be presented.
And an oversized Playmobil figure.
The FC Bayern mascot “Bernie” jumps around.
A state trip for Instagram.
Bavarian opposition targets Söder – “When will you address the critical points?”
The opposition at home is already boiling.
“Travel photos, cuddly panda toys, food – the Chinese government will certainly be happy about your posts... When will you address the critical points?” asks SPD leader Florian von Brunn.
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In fact, the background is more serious than Söder's flood of images would suggest.
There has been a lot of slippage in relations between China and the West.
In Washington, the big empire is increasingly seen as the real system rival.
And in its China strategy, which the federal government agreed on in the summer, Berlin emphasizes the important trade partnership, but insists on greater independence.
The shock about Russia's energy dependence should not be repeated in China when it comes to critical raw materials.
It's not about decoupling, Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) once emphasized, "but at the end of the road the German economy should be more robust."
Söder doesn't hear much about demarcation.
The agreement with Sichuan opens up new opportunities.
Both the Communist Party Secretary and the governor make time for him.
Diplomats on site whisper that a joint appearance between the two would be very unusual.
“There are a lot of investments by Bavarian companies here,” says Söder.
Not just Siemens, Wacker, Audi or BMW.
“We want to provide support.” It is important that politicians get involved.
Söder's delegation, which does not have business representatives, is the largest in the southwest since the pandemic, according to diplomatic circles.
The importance can also be seen in the fact that the congested streets are closed to Söder's column.
The invitation for the next Oktoberfest is available.
Sichuan is planning an office in Bavaria, and university cooperation is being discussed.
Business representatives welcome Söder's trip to China - Bavaria's head of state wants to fill the gap
The Bavarian Business Association expressly welcomes Söder's trip.
It is now about “finding a balance between competition, system rivalry and partnership for relations with China,” said Managing Director Bertram Brossardt.
You have to create trust and stability.
Companies lack what economists call a “level playing field”.
In German: the same conditions for companies here and there, fair market access.
“Europe must and can act more confidently towards China here,” said Brossardt.
Söder's people have a whole list of smaller and larger problems facing Bavarian companies.
However, it is all contradictory.
The ears and eyes of the state are omnipresent.
The pandemic has made the control frenzy even worse.
Others are withdrawing, says Söder.
Bavaria wants to fill this gap.
“Of course there are differences, of course the differences are also addressed,” says Söder.
“But lecturing a partner yields little results.”
This is handled differently in the federal government.
The Greens are particularly critical.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) even had to cancel a trip last May - no one he spoke to had time for him.
“We are more on the same line as the Chancellor,” says Söder.
Olaf Scholz is expected in China in three weeks.
Show in China: Söder also sends signals to Berlin
But for Söder it's not just about China.
It's also about Söder.
In Berlin he wants to show that he is not only at home in the Bavarian provinces.
The last word on the K question has still not been spoken.
In addition, the coalition partner has to see who really cares about the economic issues.
Hubert Aiwanger, on the other hand, had an hour-long bark beetle appointment last week.
This week the visit to the substation in Pleinting is one of the highlights.
Söder, on the other hand, is traveling on to Beijing today.
If he still wants to address fundamental issues about human rights, Taiwan or espionage activities, it would be better to do so there.
Tomorrow he will even meet Prime Minister Li Qiang, number two in the state - which is by no means a given for small Bavaria.
(Mike Schier)