Scholz's Response to Pipeline Sabotage: Getting Closer to the Chinese
Scholz's Response to Pipeline Sabotage: Getting Closer to the ChineseInternational Network - Nov 06, 2022
German diplomacy put on a fascinating show of 'counterpoint' with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock welcoming her G7 partners to Münster on November 3-4, even as Chancellor Olaf Sholz set sail from Berlin for a day-long visit in Beijing.
The photo op showed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken flanking Baerbock at the main table with Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland – best known as the mistress of ceremonies during the 2014 “Maidan” coup in Kyiv – looking from behind.
Germany is catching up on photojournalism. Seriously, the photo could not have frozen more meaningfully for global audiences the two-faced nature of German diplomacy as the current government's coalition pulls in different directions.
Essentially, Baerbock underscored her displeasure with Scholz's visit to China by rallying like-minded G7 counterparts around her. Even by the standards of coalition politics, this is an excessive move. When a country's top leader is visiting abroad, a show of dissonance undermines diplomacy.
Similarly, Baerbock's G7 counterparts chose not to wait for Scholz's return. Apparently, they have closed minds and the news of Scholz's discbaerbussions in Beijing won't change that.
