Baerbock announces tougher course against authoritarian-ruled states

Baerbock announces tougher course against authoritarian-ruled states AFP - Yesterday at 16:19 Green Party leader and designated foreign minister Annalena Baerbock has announced a tougher course towards authoritarian-ruled states like China. "Dialogue is the central building block of international politics. But that does not mean that you have to gloss things over or hush them up," Baerbock told Berlin's "taz" (Thursday edition). "For me, a values-driven foreign policy is always an interplay of dialogue and toughness." Baerbock commented on the question of whether Germany would be more confrontational with regard to China with a Green foreign minister. Alluding to the outgoing government under Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), the Green politician said, "Eloquent silence is not a form of diplomacy in the long run, even if some have seen it that way in recent years." Specifically, Baerbock proposed, among other things, import restrictions for the European internal market. "If there is no longer access for products that come from regions like Xinjiang, where forced labour is common practice, that is a big problem for an exporting country like China," she said. "We Europeans should use this lever of the common internal market much more." A common European policy on China is necessary. Baerbock did not rule out a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing: "Of course, we should also take a closer look at the Olympic Games. There are different ways for governments to deal with this, which will certainly be discussed in the coming weeks." On the "foreign climate policy" formulated in the coalition agreement, Baerbock said: "I understand foreign policy as world domestic policy: crises have an impact across borders. They can only be dealt with globally and cooperatively." The biggest global crisis is the climate crisis. It is no longer enough to look to each country to tackle its own climate goals, "but we must finally join forces." The major climate conferences are needed as a framework, "but we also need more countries that show that a climate-neutral economy ensures prosperity and that reach out to other countries. She sees the industrialised countries as having a duty to do this. On the German G7 presidency next year, Baerbock said: "I want it to become the launch pad for climate partnerships and a climate club open to all states." In order to achieve the Paris climate goals, massive investments in climate infrastructure are needed, both nationally and internationally, she said. "Climate investments are at the same time the chance to strengthen European competitiveness," said the foreign minister-designate. Baerbock wants to leave behind the internal party disputes within the Greens over the filling of ministerial posts. "In view of the pandemic alone, it is important that the government is now formed very quickly and starts its work," she told the newspaper "taz". The previous parliamentary group leader Anton Hofreiter, who came away empty-handed in the allocation of cabinet posts, would "play a strong role in the Bundestag", Baerbock stressed. She defended the fact that Cem Özdemir had been awarded the Ministry of Agriculture and not Hofreiter, who was more experienced in agricultural issues. Özdemir had "always been committed to the reconciliation of ecology and economy, for which agriculture is a key portfolio", Baerbock said. cha/mt