The three Chinese stare spellbound at the television that stands next to the stage in the Shaanxi Guild House in Chengdu, even though the “Bavarian Evening” is raging around them, with brass music, freshly tapped Hofbräu beer and fatty pork, which is in Both cultures are consumed in large quantities. At first you assume it’s a football broadcast, but then it turns out: The three TV viewers are simply ultra-ambitious students of Bavarian studies – the ox race from Franz Xaver Bogner’s cult series “Somehow and Anyway” is on. Sir Quickly also crosses the finish line first on Ringo in Chengdu.
Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) spent four days in China, his delegation landed back in Munich on Thursday evening, and it can already be said that the Bavarian dominant culture has enormous power among the Chinese. You can see this, for example, at a celebratory lunch that the governor of Sichuan province and the local Communist Party secretary (a big Sisi fan, by the way) give for Söder. The entourage of hosts initially successfully tries to keep a straight face, but the concept comes to an end when their guest invites them to visit the Oktoberfest. Smile, nod. All dams break when Söder also announces the advance shipment of a Bavarian beer barrel.
On an atmospheric level, Söder can undoubtedly consider his expedition to be very successful; German diplomats on site say they have never experienced such a privileged reception as the CSU leader receives, with red carpets and streets closed to his motorcade, at the Prime Minister level. A fair political balance is a little more difficult to draw.
The accompanying journalists cannot be there when Söder (“high honor”) sits with the Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, the second man in the state. The joint press statements that are usual in Germany are not common in China. You have to rely on Söder’s personal reports, which naturally always have a very confident Bavarian Prime Minister as the main protagonist. For example, Söder assures without batting an eyelid that Li Qiang (head of government of 1.4 billion Chinese) and he (head of government of 13 million Bavarians) spoke to each other “on equal terms.”
“A plus point for the next Federal Chancellor election”
In any case, the press response to Söder’s trip to China was excellent – unfortunately even more outstanding in China than in Germany. The big daily newspaper Global Times The editorial is almost relieved that “there are still insightful politicians in Germany who look after the true interests and maintain German-Chinese friendship.” His visit, the paper speculates, could be a “plus point for the next Federal Chancellor election.” Söder, as will become clear in these four days, is not only being courted as a representative of an important business location, but also as an aspirant for higher tasks.
The rhythm of the delegation program is determined by the change in political and tourist appointments, and it is in the nature of things that a panda-busting Söder dominates perception more than a stiff handshake with a local official. Söder’s predecessor Horst Seehofer was also in China several times, but according to contemporary witnesses, he always had to be persuaded to pose for photos that at least partially revealed that they were taken in Beijing and not in Plattling. He calls it a “state visit for Instagram”. Munich Mercury Söder’s trip. And yes, he got his pretty photos. But so does the Chinese regime.
The numerous viewers of Chinese state television also notice that this funny chief from FC Bayern’s hometown seems to feel at home in their country. On the other hand, they are unlikely to have any knowledge of Söder’s assertion that he addressed “the difficult issues” such as the deplorable human rights situation in China at every meeting, including the one with Prime Minister Li Qiang. “But different than others,” says Söder, more subtle, less didactic. However, none of the Chinese government representatives responded to this.
Critics say Söder allowed himself to be exploited
Söder now faces the accusation that a white-blue-eyed regional politician is allowing himself to be exploited by the world power China. And the accusation doesn’t just come from the SPD and the Greens in the Bavarian state parliament. The Prime Minister must “demand” that human rights be respected, the Society for Threatened Peoples said before Söder’s conversation with Li Qiang. Otherwise he would make himself a “useful lackey of Chinese propaganda.” If you understand him correctly, Söder left it at the identification of “differences” in the political system and canon of values.
“More real than moral politics” is his first motto of the trip; he has an overdose of morals – surprise! – diagnosed with Green Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Second guiding principle: “Dialogue instead of monologue”, you have to stay in conversation even with sensitive partners. And that, says Söder, is “a similar position” to that of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), who is also traveling to China in three weeks, reportedly also to Beijing and Chengdu. The traffic lights are once again not in agreement, says Söder.
In fact, Bavarian “panda diplomacy” is basically already moving in the corridor set by the federal government’s new China strategy. What is up for debate is whether Söder is acting expediently and elegantly. The strategy reflects the lesson learned from Russia’s energy dependence: Germany should become more independent of raw materials from China, which must be seen as a “systemic rival”. At the same time, however, the trading partnership should be maintained, just under fairer conditions.
He demands “fair and equal conditions of competition” from the trade minister
On this point, Söder Reise becomes quite concrete – and his tone noticeably clearer. At the meeting with Trade Minister Wang Wentao, he says he demanded “fair and equal competitive conditions” for German companies. This included greater transparency in approval processes and the protection of intellectual property. The Bavarian managers (e.g. from Wacker Chemie or the construction company Max Bögl) who accompany Söder to the appointment are grateful to be able to place their current problems at a high level.
German diplomats say that Söder’s visit would definitely be helpful here: the companies’ concerns simply need to be presented to the Chinese as often as possible and by the most important guests possible. After an hour and a half, Söder went back to the hotel with the impression that Wang Wentao had “openly accepted” everything. Ultimately, China could have no interest in a trade war and the introduction of EU protective tariffs on its exports.
Söder, the lawyer for German business. Söder, the respected foreign politician. In a figurative sense, these are the images that the CSU wants to remain from these four days in Beijing and Chengdu. Certainly also with regard to the K question that will soon have to be answered in the Union. The nice thing for the accompanying journalists is that such a tightly scheduled program on foreign soil occasionally opens up small windows of knowledge that would probably remain closed at home.
There are little things to learn about Söder, but also bigger ones. The little ones start with the fact that the declared alcohol avoider Söder likes to start long flights with a Campari Orange. They continue with the fact that Söder coldly wears his beloved cardigan under his suit even during his audience with the Prime Minister. Brave, brave!
“Your answers were amazing”
It also becomes clear that the private Söder is not a regular customer on Studiosus trips: In the Forbidden City he simply leaves the tour guide standing when he talks about Imperial China in a little too much detail. Söder’s penchant for making jokes about other people is now even more widely documented, even if they are his head of state chancellery: “My minister eats everything”, including rabbit heads, he says to students about Florian Herrmann. The minister not only eats everything, he also endures everything with patience and loyalty.
The conversation with the obviously virtuoso, ideologically solid students at Tshingua University is particularly enlightening. The questions to the guest were certainly coordinated with the government beforehand, just not with the Bavarian one. Söder has acquired very good conversational English, but when the students ply him with university and trade policy details, he is visibly happy that Science Minister Markus Blume (CSU) and TUM Vice President Juliane Winkelmann courageously come to his aid.
“Your answers were amazing,” says a student at the end to the newly appointed honorary professor Söder, his answers were incredibly great. The answers might have been even better if Söder had, for once, come up with a few target group-oriented sentences for China’s cheeky youth. That’s the last lesson of this trip: With the standard Söder show from Bavaria you can get far in China. But not all the way through.