Germany closer to US than China despite recent tensions, foreign minister says

By Jun Yuan Yong

SINGAPORE, Feb 2 (Reuters) – Germany is “not in equidistance” from the United States and China, and will always be closer to Washington despite recent tensions, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said in Singapore on Monday. 

At a lecture hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Wadephul said the United States remains the most important partner for Europe and Germany and that Europe remains dependent on it for its security, despite issues that are currently “alienating” Washington from the region.

Trump administration officials have been critical of European countries for failing to meet NATO spending targets and for being too dependent on the United States for their own defence. 

“Running with open arms to President Xi and saying all our problems vanished in this very moment and we are only heading to become your big partner, this would be the wrong answer,” he said, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

Western nations, such as Canada and the United Kingdom have been striking trade deals with China, defying U.S. criticism. 

Trump’s insistence that Washington should take control over Greenland has shaken transatlantic relations and accelerated European efforts to reduce its dependence on the United States, even as Trump last week withdrew his threat to impose additional tariffs and ruled out taking Greenland by force.

But Wadephul said Europe’s united response to U.S. claims on Greenland shows that it can be successful at defending its interests as long as it defines its red lines clearly. 

Wadephul also said that the European Union’s network of free trade agreements is an “important building block for rules-based free trade in times of increased protectionism and fragmentation”. 

The European Union is working to “swiftly conclude” more free trade agreements in the Asia-Pacific region, including with Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Australia, he said. 

(Reporting by Jun Yuan Yong; Editing by David Stanway)