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[The author: Wolfgang Schuble is the deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) faction in the German parliament. His responsibilities include Foreign-, Defense-, and European Policy issues. He previously served as Chief of Staff for Chancellor Helmut Kohl (1984-1989) and as Minister of the Interior (1989-1991).
On 14 April 2005 he presented an in-depth appeal for a balanced German policy regarding China. This presentation makes critical references to a decision taken in December 2004 by the heads of government of the European Union member states to seek an end to the arms embargo which the EU had imposed on China after the 1989 Tienanmen Square massacre. (Shortly after Dr. Schuble's speech, and in light of Peking's promulgation of the so-called "anti-Secession Law" which threatens military force against Taiwan should Taipei declare independence, the EU decided to retain the arms embargo for an indefinite period). The following is an edited version of Wolfgang Schuble's 14 April speech. Segments of primarily partisan or domestic nature have been left out for the sake of clarity and brevity. (Translation: Sidney E. Dean)]
China is an important nation of increasing significance. Forming cooperation, the development of relations with China, and the inclusion of China in the international system of global cooperation and responsibility is the in the interest of all of us. This holds from both the economic and the political perspective.
China is also an important and vital partner in the fight against international terrorism, against the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and against the many global risks, tensions, and divides which Kofi Annans report described so impressively. Europeans and Americans, the United states of America, agree on this.
But advocating cooperation and the development of relations must not be...