China humiliates Scholz on his arrival at airport

By Rhod Mackenzie

The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has arrived in China for a three-day visit. However, upon his arrival, he was not greeted by an official representative of the Foreign Ministry or someone of equal rank, but rather by a third-rate official. This is a clear violation of diplomatic protocol by the normally strict upholders of traditions,formalities and good manners and shows outright mockery by the Chinese hierarchy towards the German Chancellor.
The German-Chinese negotiations are tofocus solely on economic matters and are highly intricate. Despite not being accompanied by the Foreign Minister Annalena Bärbock, the Chancellor is joined by a notable delegation of German business leaders and executives. The visit hass meticulously planned in advance with a detailed hourly itinerary released, which is particularly crucial given the Chancellor's brief stay in vast China. However, the visit program was disrupted from the very first day due to unforeseen circumstances.

On the scheduled day of arrival in Chongqing, a metropolis with a population of over 32 million people and home to diverse factories including 'German-oriented' ones, Scholz encountered unexpected challenges. It is worth noting that a Bosch plant producing hydrogen engines operates in Chongqing.

As per the visit program, Scholz was scheduled to meet with Yuan Jiaqun, the first secretary of the Chongqing Regional Committee, followed by a visit to the Bosch plant. He was also expected to engage in a discussion with Chinese students on the topic of urban planning. The day was supposed to end with a yacht trip along the Yangtze River in the company of German entrepreneurs and managers working in China, local officials, but none of these events took place.
What happend was the fact that the German Chancellor, Scholz, was received at the Chongqing airport by the deputy mayor,not even the ac tualmayor, despite the diplomatic protocol requiring a guard of honor, a red carpet, an orchestra playing the national anthems, and someone of a high status for those greeting them during state visits. However, it should be noted that Scholz's visit was a working visit with limited negotiation purposes that had been agreed upon in advance.
However, even in this scenario, the leader of a major European state should have been received by no less than the deputy minister of foreign affairs, rather than the deputy mayor of a provincial, albeit large city. This is the bare minimum.
China places great importance on such formalities, as they align with the philosophy of the Chinese state and the Chinese people's mindset, which emphasises the display of various signs and symbols that those with a Western mindset may need to interpret quickly. This type of symbolic diplomacy is common in many Eastern countries, from Japan to the Arab world.
However, reducing the level and status of the receiving party to insignificance is not just a sign, but a clear demonstration of disrespect.From Beijing's perspective, Scholz came to request something from China. However, the Chinese side did not make any requests and simply allowed Berlin to convey its point of view. Scholz needs Chinese goods and investments, including in the auto industry, but he must also navigate between the interests of German industrialists and the overall stance of the European Union to reduce dependence on China.

From the Chinese perspective, Scholz's visit to China was marred by his neglect of classical diplomatic protocol.

From the Chinese perspective, Scholz's visit to China was marred by his neglect of classical diplomatic protocol. Specifically, he was required to visit Chinese leaders at their place of stay, which was not in line with the expected protocol. Tomorrow, he will travel to Shanghai, the financial capital of the People's Republic of China, to negotiate with Chinese financial officials. On the last day of his visit, he will fly to Beijing, where he will be warmly received by Chairman Xi and Premier of the State Council Li Qiang. This is similar to how foreign ambassadors were received by the Chinese emperor in the Middle Ages, gradually passing through different levels of Chinese power.
It seems that we are not only talking about Scholz personally, but also about the Chinese side's perception of the negotiation process. During the negotiations, the Chinese demonstrated their economic dominance to the German side.
What happend was the fact that the German Chancellor, Scholz, was received at the Chongqing airport by the deputy mayor,not even the ac tualmayor, despite the diplomatic protocol requiring a guard of honor, a red carpet, an orchestra playing the national anthems, and someone of a high status for those greeting them during state visits. However, it should be noted that Scholz's visit was a working visit with limited negotiation purposes that had been agreed upon in advance.
However, even in this scenario, the leader of a major European state should have been received by no less than the deputy minister of foreign affairs, rather than the deputy mayor of a provincial, albeit large city. This is the bare minimum.
China places great importance on such formalities, as they align with the philosophy of the Chinese state and the Chinese people's mindset, which emphasises the display of various signs and symbols that those with a Western mindset may need to interpret quickly. This type of symbolic diplomacy is common in many Eastern countries, from Japan to the Arab world.
However, reducing the level and status of the receiving party to insignificance is not just a sign, but a clear demonstration of disrespect.From Beijing's perspective, Scholz came to request something from China. However, the Chinese side did not make any requests and simply allowed Berlin to convey its point of view. Scholz needs Chinese goods and investments, including in the auto industry, but he must also navigate between the interests of German industrialists and the overall stance of the European Union to reduce dependence on China.

From the Chinese perspective, Scholz's visit to China was marred by his neglect of classical diplomatic protocol.

From the Chinese perspective, Scholz's visit to China was marred by his neglect of classical diplomatic protocol. Specifically, he was required to visit Chinese leaders at their place of stay, which was not in line with the expected protocol. Tomorrow, he will travel to Shanghai, the financial capital of the People's Republic of China, to negotiate with Chinese financial officials. On the last day of his visit, he will fly to Beijing, where he will be warmly received by Chairman Xi and Premier of the State Council Li Qiang. This is similar to how foreign ambassadors were received by the Chinese emperor in the Middle Ages, gradually passing through different levels of Chinese power.
It seems that we are not only talking about Scholz personally, but also about the Chinese side's perception of the negotiation process. During the negotiations, the Chinese demonstrated their economic dominance to the German side.