Germany’s China policy was long shaped by the country’s economic interests and the illusion that engagement could help bring about change. Beijing’s more assertive foreign policy has led to an awakening in Berlin. But how far will the German government go in redefining its relations with China?
A battle of egos between Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel is putting the European Union’s post-pandemic solidarity at risk. The EU’s standard-bearers should do a better job of putting policy goals ahead of personal ambition.
As the rivalry grows between the US and China, Beijing is regarding Europe as an increasingly important player. While it has recently ramped up its charm offensive, irritants in the relationship remain.
For a long time, the European Union avoided external relations by concentrating on enlargement. Becoming a normal power now does not mean that it is compromising its original values, quite the opposite.
Germany’s new defense minister has not set a foot wrong since taking over from Christine Lambrecht in January. However, it is the outcome of the current fight over the defense budget that will likely define his time in office.
Six years after his famous Sorbonne speech on “European sovereignty,” the French president is pondering a new, legacy-building EU initiative. This time it’s likely focused on institutional reform.
In Europe, China’s charm offensive is increasing falling on deaf ears, as attitudes harden, in part due to Beijing’s tacit support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
If Germany’s Zeitenwende is to be a success, it is not only its security institutions that need to be reviewed. The processes that have been in place up to now also need to be scrutinized.
Berlin’s security policy of recent decades has proven to be strategically erroneous. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s “Zeitenwende” speech promised a new course. But this has not gone far enough.
There is a growing assessment in Paris that Germany’s Zeitenwende has not yet delivered much on defense and, furthermore, that it has failed to generate momentum for a renewed Franco-German relationship on defense.
Germany’s cultural-historical traumas run deep. In many ways, the country continues to define itself against the past rather than position itself for the future. It needs to prepare itself for the many challenges ahead.
With the Russian economy now on a war footing, if the West wants Ukraine to prevail in the war, it will not only have to sustain the delivery of weapons but also further tighten its sanctions regime against Russia.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has brought a modicum of stability and political sobriety after the melodramas of recent years. When it comes to foreign policy, while he recognizes the challenges ahead, his room for maneuver is perilously small.
China’s military buildup, but also North Korea’s nuclear threats, have led to South Korea and Japan reinforcing their defenses. This may well lead to an arms race in the Indo-Pacific.
Russia’s war against Ukraine has increased the importance of the Black Sea. It is high time for the EU to develop an ambitious and comprehensive strategy.
When it comes to the protests in Iran, critics ask: Where is Germany’s bold new foreign policy? They are misguided, while Berlin, in its response, seems to have forgotten three of its own principles.
Six out of 10 Germans have never heard of the term “feminist foreign policy” or don't know what it means. Therefore, the concept must be communicated in a way that is understandable to a broader public.
The concept of feminist foreign policy is flawed and needs to be broadened. Fair foreign policy is an alternative approach that could be less polarizing and achieve better outcomes.
