China turns on Germany ahead of Olaf Scholz visit

China has issued a veiled warning to high-ranking German politicians ahead of a visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Beijing this week. His coalition foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, had said earlier this week that China was ‘increasingly a systemic rival’ as she vowed to write a new policy towards the east Asian nation.Quoting a Chinese academic following her remarks, the Global Times – widely regarded as an English-language CCP mouthpiece – accused the Green leader of ‘hyping rifts with China especially on values to win more supporters domestically’.Mr Scholz’s first visit to Beijing comes at a time of increased wariness towards the largest communist state.President Xi Jinping – who has just secured a third consecutive term as premier – has straddled a position of strategic ambivalence towards Russia’s horrific invasion of Ukraine, in order to continue to trade with both Vladimir Putin and Western nations.Despite making several remarks sympathetic to Ukraine’s plight, there are fears that a Russian victory may embolden Mr Xi to mount his own incursion on Taiwan – a breakaway state that China has treated as part of its territory since its formation as a communist country.READ MORE: Scholz forced to defend himself for solo trip to China after criticism Scholz’s first visit to Beijing comes at a time of increased wariness towards China (Image: Getty) During a visit to Uzbekistan, Baerbock (c) said China is ‘increasingly a systemic rival’ (Image: Getty)’The Chinese political system has changed massively in recent years and thus our China policy must also change.’At the weekend, Ms Baerbock said Germany needed to learn its lesson from its dependence on Russia – which has threatened its energy supply and hammered its economy – and never again become reliant on a state that did not share Berlin’s values.In an article published on Wednesday, the Global Times mentioned Ms Baerbock directly, it quoted Jiang Feng, a research fellow at the Shanghai International Studies University, as saying the trip ‘will send a signal of stability not only to the regions but also the international community’.The Global Times argued Ms Baerbock in particular had faced ‘several rounds of criticism’ for her ‘value-guided’ policies, which it said ‘differs from Germany’s pragmatic way and may affect the country’s own interests’. Scholz wanted to ‘diversify and minimise risks’ with the trip (Image: Getty) China represents a massive market for German companies, including its major car brands (Image: Getty)Ahead of the trip to Beijing, Steffen Hebestreit, a Chancellor spokesperson, said Mr Scholz wanted to ‘diversify and minimise risks’, but that he was not in favour of cutting ties with China.China represents a massive market for German companies, including its major car brands.German firms with investments in China have expressed concern about worsening relations.Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg