"When I started to be the Prime Minister, I didn't have iPhone yet!" On June 23, 2021, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was questioned in the Bundestag. She was wearing a blue top and smiling, calmly responding to a MP’s questions about digitalization.
The first generation of iPhone phones was launched in 2007. The 67-year-old Merkel has served as the German Chancellor since November 22, 2005. At that time, the US president was Bush Jr., the French president was Chirac , and the British Prime Minister was Blair . The leaders of Western powers have been replaced one after another, and only Merkel stands firm.
On November 22, 2005, German Chancellor Angela Merkel excitedly walked off the oath table after taking the oath position in the German Bundestag in Berlin. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Xiaoling
Germany held a Bundestag election on the 26th of this month, and a new federal government will be formed after that, and Merkel will officially resign at that time.
According to tradition, every German Chancellor leaves office, there will be a portrait hanging on the wall of the Prime Minister's Office. When Merkel's figure gradually faded out of the political stage, people began to think about what kind of portrait she left behind?
"Navigator"
"Navigator disembarks", Deutsche News Agency uses the classic title when Bismarck stepped down in the last century to describe Merkel's departure. Merkel served as prime minister for 16 years, comparable to her political mentor Cole. In German history, only Prime Minister Bismarck was in power for more years.
Under her rule, Germany transformed from "the sick man of Europe" to an economic star. International financial crisis, European debt crisis, , refugee crisis, Ukrainian crisis, new crown epidemic... When Germany and Europe face many tests, you can always see Merkel's firm figure stabilizing the rudder and guiding it.
During the international financial crisis in 2008, Germany was the first to recover in the major Western economy with its strong real economy. After the European debt crisis broke out, Merkel said in the Bundestag: "If EU is not good, Germany will not be good." In order to resolve the crisis, Germany has put on a tough stance and made other member states accept the German plan to strictly tighten the fiscal austerity.
On June 23, 2011, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and then French President Sarkozy talked at the EU summit at the Belgium capital Brussels . Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Wei
At the summer and autumn of 2015, Europe is facing a refugee crisis. Merkel opened its doors to refugees, and more than 1 million refugees flocked to Germany. Faced with pressure, Merkel said a widely circulated sentence later: "We can do it!"
This has also become Merkel's most controversial policy. Nowadays, some social problems caused by the refugee wave have become even more moderate, and the positive effects brought by new immigrants are beginning to appear. But at the same time, the refugee crisis has also caused the rise of xenophobia and right-wing populist forces, resulting in the fragmentation of the political territory of Germany and even many European countries.
September 5, 2015, in Munich, southern Germany, a refugee held a photo of German Chancellor Angela Merkel while arriving at a train station. Xinhua News Agency /Fax
The new coronavirus is coming. When the epidemic is deteriorating rapidly, Merkel acted immediately. On March 18, 2020, Merkel delivered a national televised speech outside the New Year for the first time. "Take it seriously because it is really serious." She said that the new crown epidemic is the biggest challenge that Germany has suffered since World War II . The ratings of this speech set a record in Germany.
In the response to the epidemic, Merkel communicated closely with the health department, unify the position of the federal and states, and prompted the EU to issue further strict control measures.
At a press conference, Merkel revealed his views on crisis management. She said: "Life without crises is of course easier. But when they happen, it must be dealt with. That's why we are politicians."
Interviewer
"Hello, ma'am. How can Germany strengthen cooperation with China during its role as the rotating presidency of the EU to cope with common challenges such as unilateralism?"
At the Prime Minister's annual press conference held on August 28, 2020, the reporter asked Merkel this question. Before he could finish his questions, Merkel nodded subconsciously when he heard "unilateralism".
In the past few years, anti-globalization has been surging, and protectionism and unilateralism have become rampant. Merkel clearly realized that multilateralism in is in line with Germany's national interests, abandons Cold War mentality, does not engage in confrontation, advocates dialogue and cooperation, and can better play the international role of Germany and the EU.
On July 7, 2017, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Putin attended the G20 (G20) summit. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Marwin Jinger)
Merkel has always held a point of view that different views do not affect dialogue and cooperation. Within the EU, Merkel, the oldest and most "family" broke through the member states, using her eloquence that is not eloquent but always hits the point and strong patience, so that leaders of various countries finally accept her opinions.
In the international multilateral frameworks such as United Nations and the G20, Germany is an active participant in the fields of Iran's nuclear issue , climate change and development cooperation, and Merkel is always among them.
In February 2019, The 55th Munich Security Conference , Merkel warned of the tendency of unilateralism in his keynote speech. At the end of the speech, she answered the theme of the conference: The world is becoming a "global puzzle", who will put together the pieces?
"Only we are united." As soon as Merkel finished speaking, the audience burst into long applause. Many political leaders, including the then president of the International Monetary Fund, stood up and cheered, in sharp contrast to the sparse applause after the speech of the then Vice President of the United States, Pence, .
On February 16, 2019, German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended the Muan meeting in Munich, Germany. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lu Yang
Perhaps it is precisely because of seeing Merkel's active role in the international stage that the US magazine " Forbes " ranked her first on the "world's most influential woman" list for 10 consecutive years.
Pragmatic
Back to the Prime Minister's annual press conference in August 2020, Merkel gave the following answer to the reporter's question: Germany will promote further strengthening cooperation between Europe and China. The EU looks forward to more cooperation with China in addressing climate change, third-party markets, etc., and hopes that new progress will be made in the negotiations on the EU-China Investment Agreement.
On December 30 of that year, the Chinese and European leaders jointly announced that they would complete the China-EU Investment Agreement negotiations as scheduled. Later, the reporter learned that in the final stage of the negotiations, Merkel used his personal prestige and diplomatic experience to promote agreement within the EU.
htmlFor more than 0 years, Merkel has developed relations with China with a pragmatic attitude. She knows that Germany-China cooperation is not only related to Germany's interests, but also that Germany, the EU and the entire international community need to cooperate with China when responding to global challenges such as climate change and unilateralism."On some issues, we have different views...but the EU should continue to talk with China and set an example for multilateralism," Merkel said.
On August 30, 2016, German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended the unveiling ceremony of Confucius Institute in Stralsund, a small coastal town in northeastern Germany. Photo by Zhang Fan, Xinhua News Agency,
During Merkel's tenure, Sino-German relations continued to develop. In 2011, the Sino-German government consultation mechanism was launched, and bilateral relations were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2014. High-level visits between the two countries have been constantly being made, and after the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, high-frequency online communication is still maintained.
16, Merkel has visited China 12 times, making him one of the leaders of Western countries with the most visits to China. Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xi'an, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu, Hefei, Hangzhou, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Wuhan, every time I visit China, Merkel will leave his footprints in a new place.
From north to south, from east to west, from coast to inland, from cities to rural areas... For Merkel, the land of China with different levels of economic development and diverse regional cultures is full of fresh experiences.
On July 6, 2014, German Chancellor Angela Merkel learned how to cook Sichuan cuisine Kung Pao Chicken in Chengdu. Xinhua News Agency issued
to enrich the experience in order to deepen the understanding, and to achieve closer cooperation.According to data from the German Federal Statistics Office, the total bilateral trade volume between China and Germany increased from 61.171 billion euros in 2005 to 212.1 billion euros in 2020. Germany is China's largest trading partner in Europe, the country with the most direct investment in China by the EU, and the country with the most technology transfers to China in Europe. China and Germany have in-depth cooperation in science and technology, education, culture and industry.
Merkel's last visit to China was in September 2019, when she went to Wuhan. When the convoy passed through Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge , Merkel asked the convoy to stop. Then she got off the car and looked into the distance on the bridge deck, and asked the staff to take photos for her.
German Le Monde said that it was Merkel's only deviation from the diplomatic concierge agenda.
Source: Xinhua International Headlines
