On the margins of a glitzy security event in Bavaria, the foreign ministers of France and Germany revived a dormant diplomatic format with China, in what was described as part of a larger effort to prevent the world’s superpowers from picking Europe apart.
France’s Jean-Noel Barrot and Germany’s Johann Wadephul hosted China’s Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference, reviving a configuration not seen since the days of French President Emmanuel Macron’s first term.
“If we do not stick toreceiveher, then we are screwed,” stated one official, explaining the decision.
“They view at which countest has which sector, be it French brandy or German cars, and they find it very simple to divide us. We necessary to stop this and start believeing about this toreceiveher,” the official added.
The tiny diplomatic gesture was emblematic of a thread running through the first day of Europe’s premier security gathering. European leaders took potshots at the US political shift under US President Donald Trump and China’s assertiveness under Chinese leader Xi Jinping, to build the case for continental indepconcludeence.
“China wants to be a leader in shaping the world, and it has paved the ground for that over many years. With strategic patience in the foreseeable future, Beijing could be on an equal footing with the United States in military terms,” stated German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who accapplyd Beijing of “redefining the international order in its own favour”.
Leave a Reply