China News Service Berlin, May 15th Title: Former Democratic German Chancellor Modro: Increase trust and resolve doubts, how can Germany-China relations develop better?
China News Service reporter Ma Xiuxiu
Former Democratic German Chancellor Hans Modro The birthday gift given to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the book "Praise China" was recently published in China. As an old friend of the Chinese people, Mr. Modro visited China 13 times between 1959 and 2019, witnessing China's development over more than half a century.
This year coincides with the 250th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. How do you view the relationship between and in Germany? What enlightenment does the 50-year diplomatic relationship provide for the future development of bilateral relations? Regarding the above topics, the China News Service’s “East and West Questions” column recently interviewed Mr. Modro.
Now organize the interview transcript as follows:
China News Service reporter: What are the main issues discussed in the book "Like China"?
Modro: Previously, at a symposium celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, a group of scholars, politicians and journalists summarized the achievements made by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. At that time, many issues were discussed, including economic, social, and environmental policies, China's impact on the world and the Chinese people's self-awareness, and what role they hope to play in the world in the future.
Not long after, the opinions reached during this discussion were published in Germany and received considerable response. Currently, the book will also be published in in . Chinese readers can understand how Germany views China's development.
However, I don't want to hide the fact that our views are a minority. Most Germans still follow government propaganda, and the widely circulated view of China in the media is not very friendly. Regarding China, German political elites did not introduce objectively, such as China's poverty alleviation and social progress. Despite this, China's achievements in science and technology cannot be concealed. The political class and its information disseminators of the Federal Republic of Germany are not prepared to accept social forms other than capitalism without prejudice and objectiveness.
China News Service reporter: Do Western countries think China's development is a challenge?
Modro: The Western system is threatened by internal crises and conflicts. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a challenge to the capitalist system because it represents a successful alternative.
This is not just a saying. In the socialist country of in Europe, propaganda always precedes economic achievements. Of course, it must be motivated through the vision. So during the former Democratic Germany, people always said that how we work today and what kind of life we will live tomorrow. But people at that time would also ask: When is tomorrow? We also want to see the world like the people in West German . At that time, Western propaganda also made every effort to convince the people of the former Democratic Germany that everyone in West Germany was rich. Only after the former Democratic Germany was taken over by the West did people realize that this was not the case.
China is so powerful economically and military, so stable and alert politically that objectively, the Western model is at a disadvantage in fair competition. The West knows this. Because of this, Western industrialized countries have used all their means to compete with socialism with Chinese characteristics.
A street landscape in Beijing. Photo by Hou Yu, China News Service reporter
China News Service reporter: A survey shows that the mutual impressions of the people of China and Germany are diverging: that is, most Chinese people have a good impression of Germany, while only a few Germans have a positive view of China. What is the cause of this phenomenon?
Modro: There is only one explanation for this: I don’t understand. China advocates harmony rather than hegemony; seeks to unite the people rather than incite war.
As I have noticed repeatedly in China, Chinese people are full of curiosity and eagerness to learn, but most Germans are not like this. The Germans think they know everything, they think they are the center of the world, and they often see everything from the perspective of a prosperous and successful country.
This point is essentially nourished and disseminated by the media, not a new development. As early as more than 100 years ago, German Empire said: The world should be cured by German quality.Fascism then claimed that the Germans dominate the race and had the mission of dominating the world. Even today, when judging other peoples’ issues, the arrogance and superiority of some Germans will still be revealed. For example, when German media reports on issues involving Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang or Tibet, its purpose is to blame the Chinese leadership.
Most Germans are doing well. When disasters occur somewhere in the world, they are happy to donate generously because they somehow have a foreshadowing that their prosperity is largely based on the exploitation of third world . But this kind of understanding cannot change reality and will try to change the system.
German people are afraid of change because after all, what they read in newspapers or heard on TV is a lie like "Do you want to live like in China? How terrible is life there?" They are willing to believe those words because they are satisfied with their lives.
During the former democratic Germany period, we once said: China is a distant country very close to us. This kind of closeness is cultivated by understanding and knowledge.
A technology research institute in Shandong Province and a German technology transfer center signed a memorandum of cooperation online. Photo by Zhao Xiao, China News Agency reporter
China News Agency reporter: When you visited China as the secretary of the Central Secretariat of the Democratic German Free Youth League in 1959, what role did young forces play in promoting the development of China-Germany relations? What advice do you have for today?
Modro: Young people are the masters of tomorrow. The young people today will determine the fate of the country tomorrow. This is why young people must be educated and prepared for the future.
In order to lead the country, take charge of the economy, and assume important functions in science, justice and military, good abilities and moral maturity are required. Young people around the world should connect and learn from each other. The former Democratic German youth were represented in many international organizations at that time. We made a lot of efforts to let young people see the world and connect with young people in other countries.
I think it is beneficial even today to invite young people to China to see and show them the country, and thus identify the lies they hear about China every day in Germany by "seeing with their own eyes". Nothing is more convincing than a person's own personal observation. Many Chinese people in Germany today are in order to form their own understanding of European capitalism. I am very welcome to this.
Badenwüttemberg, Germany, and Beijing Lehai Zhensheng Accordion Orchestra performed on stage together in Beijing. Photo by Du Yang, China News Service reporter
China News Service reporter: This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. How do you evaluate the development of Sino-German relations in the past 50 years? What kind of inspiration will this provide for the future development of bilateral relations?
Modro: A few days after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the former Democratic Germany established diplomatic relations with it. It was not until 23 years later that the Federal Republic of Germany was able to agree to China's establishment of an embassy in Bonn and open an embassy in Beijing.
Federal Germany's diplomatic recognition of The People's Republic of China is closely related to Nixon's visit to China in 1972. This may be more or less the impact of Washington . From this we can see that the foreign policy of the Federal Republic of Germany is related to the geostrategic interests of the United States and still has an impact on the relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and China.
The United States is a declining world power. China is a rising world power, and China has strong partners, such as BRICS countries. It is not easy for the United States to accept China's rise. Therefore, the United States and its Western allies are trying to suppress China through political, economic and military means and prevent China's rise through sanctions. For example, opposing the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" (called the "New Silk Road" in Germany), sending warship to cruise along China's coast, and anti-China propaganda has become increasingly hysterical.
We all hope that China will continue to act in an independent way. Because people of all countries should be harmonious, rather than the hegemony dominated by the West and dominate the entire world economic model. (End)
Respondent profile:
Hans Modrow was born in 1928.From 1973 to 1989, he served as the first secretary of the Unified Socialist Party Dresden zone. From November 1989 to April 1990, he served as Chancellor of Democratic Germany. He served as a former member of the state parliament of May (until 1952), a member of the Democratic German People's House (until 1958-1990), a member of the German Bundestag (until 1994) and a member of the European Parliament (until 1999-2004). He resigned as chairman of the German Left Party veteran committee in March 2022.
Source: China News Network
