Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil traveled to Beijing to discuss financial policy.
Source: dpa
The Green Party criticized Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil’s (SPD) trip to China. “If the foreign minister had to cancel his trip due to the lack of a serious offer for talks, while the finance minister arrived at the same time as planned, then it would look haphazard in terms of foreign policy,” Green Party leader Franziska Brantner told the German editorial network newspaper on Monday.
The federal government is sending very contradictory signals to Beijing.
Franziska Brantner, leader of the Green Party
A government can only appear internationally credible if its signals match, Brantner stressed.
“It was a clumsy move and probably a mistake,” said China expert Prof. Eberhard Sandschneider on the postponement of Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul’s trip to China.
27 Oct 2025 | 3:24 min
Wadephul was forced to postpone his trip to China
Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) postponed a planned trip to China in October. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that China could not yet confirm Wadephul’s appointment. However, the visit had to be rescheduled.
In light of Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor Klingbeil’s trip to China, Green Party leader Brantner said that Germany needs a “clear and coordinated China strategy”, especially considering China’s role in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and new trade restrictions. He added:
After the Moscow connection, we don’t need the Beijing connection anymore.
Franziska Brantner, leader of the Green Party
Klingbeil should talk to those responsible in China about threats to stop shipments of chips or rare earth metals, Brantner told the RND newspaper. “I hope Mr Klingbeil will demand fair competition in Beijing.”
Imports from China exceeded exports by around 87 billion euros. ZDF economist Stephanie Barrett explains the reasons for high imports to Germany.
November 4, 2025 | 1:38 min
Klingbeil: China played an important role in the Ukraine war
Klingbeil will take part in the German-Chinese financial dialogue in Beijing on Monday. “We seek dialogue with China to find solutions to pressing problems despite rising international tensions,” the Finance Minister said on Sunday before his departure.
He also found words of caution: “Access to critical raw materials and reducing China’s excess capacity in sectors such as steel and electromobility are crucial for the German economy and jobs. We are not afraid of competition, but it must be fair.”
“Reliance on China is fundamentally a problem, and on Taiwan it is increasingly becoming a problem,” Frank Bethmann quoted a Bitcom study of the stock exchange as saying.
October 15, 2025 | 1:24 min
Regarding the Ukraine war, Klingbeil explained that China played a “decisive role in ending this war.” On Wednesday, Klingbeil will travel to Shanghai and exchange ideas with representatives of German companies active in China. On Thursday we will continue to Singapore.
Source: AFP, Reuters
