Now, Merkel is coming off her 16-year rule and is ready to leave politics this fall. As she leaves office, Merkel has already chosen her successor. However, before the new leadership took office, the successor had already taken a stand on a number of issues, including strong opposition to Huawei's entry into Germany and advocating decoupling from China. This anti-Chinese stance contrasts sharply with Merkel's friendly attitude. Recently, German media reported that his successor, Laschet, along with the current state minister, issued a warning to other European countries, urging them to be wary of China. They believe that China's growing economic and technological strength and expanding international influence pose a threat to European countries. They also proposed that Germany should be allied with the United States as soon as possible. The position of the defense minister is even more intense, arguing that China has strong ambitions. The statements of these senior officials have sparked opposition from some small parties, who advocate restricting trade with China, proposing to increase tariffs on China, and excluding Chinese technology companies from Germany and not allowing China to participate in the 5G construction of European countries, arguing that it would threaten Europe's security.
However, these opposition voices are not much different from the positions of other Western countries, all focusing on the Chinese threat. If these dissidents are elected chancellor, it will have a negative impact on Sino-German relations and lead to a cooling of relations between the two countries. A tough stance on China and a ban on Huawei from Germany. Green Party representatives not only take a tough stance on China on trade, but are also hostile to Huawei, advocating a ban on Huawei in Germany. Laschet also recently expressed support for this position, emphasizing that he would draw a line with China. These statements have been interpreted by some as a political tool to rally more voters. Much of this opposition is concentrated in the Greens, while the SPD is more friendly to China. There is a huge divide between the two parties on this issue, with the Greens having a relatively small presence in parliament and therefore relying on the media to raise their voices and win votes. Laschet, whose approval ratings have fallen due to his mishandling of the floods in Germany, has chosen to turn the tide by focusing on China in an attempt to boost his approval ratings.
However, this approach has the potential to lead to some irreparable situations. Long-term incitement tends to breed instability, and current extremist rhetoric may be just the beginning. Although China and the EU maintain close economic and trade ties, calls for decoupling are growing louder. China should also remain vigilant, and although some countries use anti-China sentiment as an electoral tool to ensure that the EU does not take a collective anti-China stance, this is not a reliable place to rely on in the future. China and Europe share a wide range of common interests, and anti-China should not be the dominant ideology in Germany. Merkel has been emphasizing this view for many years, arguing that a hardline anti-China will only harm Germany's interests, and that the anti-China trend in Europe as a whole will also limit the growth of Europe's own trade. Under Merkel, Sino-German relations improved, and Germany was able to maintain a neutral position even under pressure from the United States. However, Merkel is about to step down from office, a new leader has come to power, and rising anti-Chinese sentiment will adversely affect relations between the two countries.