“Dictator” Xi Jinping: Annalena Baerbock causes great outrage in China Member of a Belarusian special unit before the court in St. Gall

The German Foreign Minister then responded calmly to the apparent Chinese criticism after describing state and party leader Xi Jinping as a “dictator”. Asked whether she had already received an official protest from Beijing and how she responded, the Green politician replied on Monday on the sidelines of the UN Week in New York: “I have taken note of that.” Even when asked, Baerbock declined to comment in more detail.

China had rejected Baerbock’s characterization of Xi as a dictator as a political provocation. “The German side’s statements are extremely absurd, constitute a serious violation of China’s political dignity and are an open political provocation,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing. China contradicts what the German side said and has contacted Germany about this through diplomatic channels.

The Chinese government had already summoned German Ambassador Patricia Flor on Sunday following Baerbock’s statements. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this on Monday evening. Several media outlets had previously reported on it.

Interview with Fox News in the US

Baerbock commented on Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine in an interview with US television channel Fox News on September 14 during her trip to Texas. Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, she said at the time: “If Putin were to win this war, what kind of sign would that be for other dictators in the world, like Xi, like the Chinese president?” The Green politician added: “That is why Ukraine must win this war. Freedom and democracy must win.”

US President Joe Biden has also described Xi Jinping as a “dictator” in the past, most recently in June. The communist leadership in Beijing also reacted indignantly and called it a provocation.

Baerbock has already caused outrage in China

Almost exactly a year ago, Baerbock also countered Beijing with statements about China in the US – criticizing China’s threatening behavior towards Taiwan. At the time, on the sidelines of a conference to review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, she said that you would not accept “if international law is broken and a larger neighbor attacks its smaller neighbor, in violation of international law – and of course this also applies to China.” A representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spoke at the time about Baerbock’s “false comments.” The Taiwan issue is an “internal affair of China.”

There have been tensions between Germany and China before. For example, China summoned the German ambassador in August 2022 when Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger visited Taiwan and the G7 foreign ministers made a statement on Taiwan. (con/sda/dpa)