Germany’s Scholz says to discuss ‘just peace’ in Ukraine with Xi

BEIJING: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday said he would discuss a “just peace” in Ukraine with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the two leaders met in Beijing.

“My meeting with President Xi will also focus on how we can contribute more to a just peace in Ukraine,” Scholz said in a post on social media platform X, adding there had been “an intensive exchange between our governments since my last visit to China”.

Earlier, Chinese state media reported Scholz had met Xi on the last day of a three-day trip to Berlin’s biggest trading partner, adding the pair would hold an informal discussion over tea at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in the capital.

Scholz’s whistlestop tour has taken him to the southwestern megacity of Chongqing, economic powerhouse Shanghai and the capital Beijing as he aims to shore up trade ties.

The chancellor has been accompanied by a large delegation of ministers and business executives on the Sunday-Tuesday trip — his second to China since taking office.

He is also expected to meet with Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday and to sit down with a German-Chinese economic committee and give a press conference.

Scholz’s visit comes as many of Germany’s Western allies confront China on a range of trade issues.

A slew of probes into state aid for Chinese solar panels, electric cars and wind turbines are ongoing in Brussels.

The United States, meanwhile, is investigating national security risks posed by Chinese technology in cars.

-AFP