German Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil is set to chair talks between his Social Democrat Party (SPD) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing next month, even after Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was forced to postpone a trip to China after being unable to arrange enough meetings.
Klingbeil is the leader of the SPD, but also holds two roles in the cabinet of the German government led by conservative Friedrich Merz: vice-chancellor and finance minister. Nonetheless, the party meeting will come at a testy time for the countries’ bilateral ties.
A planned trip to China by Merz this year could be in question after his top envoy, Wadephul – also a conservative – pulled the plug last Friday on a trip that was supposed to kick off on Sunday. The ministry confirmed that he only had a single meeting on his agenda, with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
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The Europe-China trade relationship: deficits, disputes and de-risking
The Europe-China trade relationship: deficits, disputes and de-risking
In Brussels, several official sources said the cancellation was likely linked to the EU’s move to sanction two Chinese oil refineries and one oil trader last Thursday, for their role in funding Russia’s war in Ukraine. Two of the companies are state-owned.
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