Weighing into Germany's debate about its ties with China, former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder warned Berlin against demonizing Beijing, saying the two economic powers should work more closely together in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade threats.
Known for his close ties to Russia, Schroeder is also a long-time advocate of a closer relationship with China. He visited Beijing frequently as chancellor, championed its entry into the World Trade Organization and controversially pressed the EU to lift an arms embargo it imposed after China's Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Speaking in his office overlooking the Russian embassy on Unter den Linden Avenue in Berlin, Schroeder pushed back against a wave of skepticism towards China sweeping across western capitals.