German foreign minister cancels trip to China

BERLIN

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has postponed a trip to China, originally planned for Monday and Tuesday at short notice, a ministry spokeswoman said Friday.

Beijing has not confirmed any further appointments beyond a meeting between the minister and his counterpart, Wang Yi, Kathrin Deschauer told journalists in Berlin.

The spokeswoman said the trip, planned for the next few days, could not take place at this time, even though “these days, there are a number of topics that we would like to discuss with the Chinese side."

Deschauer noted that while the German government diversifies its economy and supply chains, and strengthens competitiveness, they "want to work together with China."

At the same time, German companies are seriously concerned about trade restrictions, especially in the areas of rare earths and semiconductors, she added.

The ministry spokeswoman also stressed that the security of Asia and Europe is closely linked.

"Our interest is in China contributing to achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine," she said, adding that no other country has as much influence on Russia as China does.

"We remain very interested in engaging in a spirit of partnership on the entire range of issues. We deeply regret that, contrary to our joint plans, there will be no personal opportunity to do so in the coming days," Deschauer added.

The trip will be postponed to a later date, the spokeswoman said, without providing further details when asked.

Wadephul also plans to hold an intensive phone call exchange with his Chinese counterpart very soon, she also said.

China criticizes German stance on Taiwan

China has recently criticized the German government's stance on Taiwan. Demanding the preservation of the status quo in the region without rejecting Taiwan's independence amounts to supporting "Taiwanese independence activities," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun.

China called on Germany to take a clear and decisive stance against any activities promoting Taiwan's independence and to strictly adhere to the one-China principle.

China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province. Taipei has rejected the claim and insisted on its independence since 1949.

In recent months, Wadephul had repeatedly criticized China for threatening to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. He had also criticized Beijing for its increasingly aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific region.

Wadephul was to be the first minister in the new German government to visit China.