Asia trip
SPD leader Klingbeil for talks in China
China’s Prime Minister Li Qiang (r) received the SPD Federal Chairman Lars Klingbeil in Beijing. photo
© Zhang Ling/XinHua/dpa
As part of the reorientation of social democratic foreign policy, the politician is visiting countries in Asia. In China he met the number four in the power hierarchy and exchanged ideas for a long time.
During his visit to China, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil met Wang Huning, a confidant of state and party leader Xi Jinping. The member of the powerful Standing Committee of the Communist Party’s Politburo is considered the chief strategist and number four in the hierarchy of power. The conversation lasted much longer than originally planned, it was learned.
During his visit to China, Klingbeil was received at a high level. The day before he had met with the new Premier Li Qiang and held talks at the International Department of the Communist Party. The exchange took place ahead of the forthcoming Sino-German government consultations on June 20 in Berlin. It will be Li Qiang’s first trip abroad since taking office in March.
After his political talks, Klingbeil also visited the foreign language university in Beijing, where he gave a speech and exchanged ideas with students. In the afternoon, the SPD leader wants to travel on to South Korea. Tomorrow and Thursday in Seoul, talks with Foreign Minister Park Jin and a visit to the electronics company Samsung are on the agenda, before a visit to Mongolia on Friday and Saturday.
The SPD leader’s trip to Asia is marked by the reorientation of social-democratic foreign and security policy. He will be accompanied, among others, by Saarland Prime Minister Anke Rehlinger, who is the party executive’s new representative for Asia.