Foreign Minister Baerbock’s description of Chinese President Xi as a “dictator” has diplomatic repercussions: the government in Beijing summoned Germany’s ambassador. Baerbock reacted calmly to the criticism.
Out of anger at Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the Chinese government summoned the German ambassador. This was announced by a spokesman for the Foreign Office in Berlin. Ambassador Patricia Flor was summoned on Sunday and was related to a statement by the Foreign Minister about China’s head of state and party leader Xi Jinping.
The minister called the Chinese president a “dictator” last week in an interview with the US broadcaster Fox News. Baerbock said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin wins the war in Ukraine, what kind of sign would that be for other dictators in the world, such as Xi, China’s president? That’s why Ukraine must win the war, said the German Foreign Minister.
“Open political provocation”
There is great outrage over this statement in China. Baerbock’s statement was “absurd and seriously violates China’s dignity,” a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. It is an “open political provocation”.
Baerbock reacted calmly to the criticism from China. When asked whether she had already received an official protest from Beijing and how she would react, the Foreign Minister replied on the sidelines of UN Week in New York: “I have taken note of that.” Even when asked, Baerbock did not want to comment in more detail.
Personality cult surrounding Xi
China has been ruled with a heavy hand by the Communist Party since 1949. In the autocratic People’s Republic there are neither free elections nor freedom of expression or freedom of the press, no separation of powers and no rule of law.
Since taking office more than ten years ago, Xi Jinping has established a nationwide cult of personality around himself, silencing critics or putting them in prison. He has abolished power-limiting regulations and can now theoretically rule until the end of his life. The last time this happened was under long-term dictator Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China.
With information from Benjamin Eyssel, ARD Studio Beijing