EU shouldn’t limit ties with ‘emerging superpower’ China to economy & trade – German FM

China is not only Germany’s “largest trading partner,” but also “an emerging superpower,” Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper on Sunday. The European Union should, therefore, work out a shared strategy for dealing with Beijing, he argued.

Brussels should not restrict its dialogue with China to economic issues only, Maas said, urging the EU to recognize its “decisive role in the world trade.” In the same interview, he notably described the US – Berlin’s long-standing NATO ally – as a “complicated” partner.

The EU and China sought to take their ties to a new level during a high-profile summit initially scheduled to occur this September, but the plans were shelved due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Maas said he hopes the important gathering will still take place by the year’s end in Leipzig, Germany. 

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