Berlin – The German government expressed confidence Monday that mutual interest will lead to improved relations with China, which are currently cool as a result of meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Dalai Lama in September. Government spokesman Thomas Steg acknowledged “basic differences” between Berlin and Beijing over contact with the Tibetan leader.
“We assume that this difficult phase will be overcome,” Steg added, citing mutual interest in economic, cultural and other issues.
Germany had a strong interest in close links with China and assumed the Chinese took a similar view, he said.
But he also made clear Merkel did not regret her decision to hold a “personal exchange of views” with the Dalai Lama in the chancellery in Berlin on September 29.
The Chinese have cancelled a series of high-level meeting with German officials since the meeting.
German diplomats revealed over the weekend that talks between senior Foreign Ministry officials had not taken place last month as scheduled.
Last week, it was made known that Beijing had snubbed German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck, who had been scheduled to visit Beijing next month.
Chinese Finance Minister Xie Xuren was said to have no time to see Steinbrueck, who responded by cancelling an Asian trip, including visits to Japan and South Korea.
In Paris on Saturday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier voiced concern about the friction with China in remarks seen in Germany as criticism of Merkel.
“It’s unfortunately true that we did have better relations with China in the past,” he told reporters during a meeting with French officials.
“It’s a state of affairs that we can’t just leave to itself,” he said. “We have an interest in restoring good relations with China.”
Steinmeier, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior partner in Christian Democrat (CDU) Merkel’s broad coalition, has repeatedly criticized the chancellor on the issue in recent weeks.
