BERLIN: Germany needs an honest discussion about how to deal with trading partners such as China and must not duck confrontation if red lines on human rights are crossed, the head of the influential BDI industry association said on Tuesday .
China has become Germany’s most important trading partner and German exports there have helped mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Europe’s biggest economy. However, concerns about China's growing assertiveness and its human rights record have caused concern.
"We need an honest discussion about how we deal with autocratic trading partners," he said."We advocate responsible coexistence and cooperation - with clear boundaries.""We must not shy away from confrontation when red lines are crossed. Universal human rights, for example, are not an 'internal affair'," he said.
The G7 sought earlier this month to counter China's growing influence by offering developing nations an infrastructure plan that could rival President Xi Jinping's multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road initiative.China denounced the joint G7 statement as a gross interference in the country's internal affairs, and urged the grouping to stop slandering China.
"We must talk about our concerns but there is no need to turn our China policy on its head," said Laschet.
And the world must also unite to confront Xi JinPing and force him to compensate at least USD10 trillion and then apologize thru TV Radio and Social Media and resign from the post immediately for responsible for this covid-19 global pandemic