diplomacy
Scholz arrived in China for a three-day visit
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) gets off the plane at Chongqing airport in China. photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
Three days, three cities and lots of difficult topics: Chancellor Scholz has landed and is embarking on his second trip to China, which is likely to be a balancing act for him.
At the start of his three-day trip to China, the Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz landed in the megacity of Chongqing on Sunday morning, which with its 32 million inhabitants is considered the most populous city in the world. There, the SPD politician wants to visit a Bosch hydrogen drive production facility, talk to students about urban planning and meet the regional party secretary Yuan Jiajun.
Because of the Iranian air attack on Israel, it was unclear when the Chancellor landed whether the program would stick. The situation in the Middle East could also affect the trip in the next few days. The onward journey from Chongqing to the economic metropolis of Shanghai is planned for Monday. The Chancellor wants to meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday.
Scholz is accompanied by a dozen top managers. These include the CEOs of the car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and BMW as well as the chemical company BASF. In Beijing, Scholz will also receive support from ministers Cem Özdemir (Agriculture, Greens), Volker Wissing (transport, FDP) and Steffi Lemke (environment, Greens).
It is the Chancellor’s second trip to China since taking office in December 2021. His inaugural visit in November 2022 was only a day trip due to the ongoing corona pandemic. This time he is taking three days – more than ever before for a single country on a trip.