Participants in dialogue at the Schiller Institute and Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies seminar in Berlin, April 15, 2026.
April 17—A highly successful seminar on “China-Europe Dialogue on Global Governance as well as Civilizational Exchange and Mutual Learning,” organized by the Schiller Institute and the Beijing-based Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) was held in Berlin on April 15. Prominent speakers from Germany and China took the podium and engaged in a dialogue, articulated in two panels, moderated by Stephan Ossenkopp from the Schiller Institute and by Hu Yajuan from the ACCWS.
The event was opened by Gao Anming, editor of the China International Communications Group (CICG), Schiller Institute founder and leader Helga Zepp-LaRouche, and Ms. Yang Chengcheng, minister-counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Berlin.
Gao started his speech by referring to Friedrich Schiller’s Ode to Joy poem. He described the current world situation as characterized by “changes and tensions.” “Power politics poses the biggest challenge since World War II, and a China-Europe dialogue can be a factor of stability.” The construction of a true multilateralism to shape the future of humanity and reform the financial architecture is the task ahead of us. Gao emphasized the importance of the decision, incorporated in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, to increase the “step-by-step opening” of the Chinese economy. He concluded his speech by calling for deepening reciprocal knowledge, as Leibniz had done 300 years ago.
Helga Zepp-LaRouche started with the positive note that the world has the chance to overcome 500 years of colonialism and should not take the ongoing epochal change as a threat. She chastised the Western attitude of looking at China with “augmented-reality spectacles,” not seeing the tremendous achievement China has made since 1971, when she first visited the country. She then went into the immediate task ahead, of solving conflicts, starting with Southwest Asia, where, if a nuclear war does not break out, there must be an “enlarged Oasis Plan” that includes Africa. The Schiller Institute has produced a report on the perspectives of a tripartite Europe-China-Africa development strategy that is consistent with Africa’s own 2063 Agenda. The second edition of the report is available in a few advanced copies. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative also reflects principles laid out by the Schiller Institute’s own proposals. Not accidentally, the organization’s complete name is the “Schiller Institute, Association for Statecraft.”
Promising Perspectives of China-German Cooperation
Ms. Yang welcomed participants and outlined the promising perspectives of China-German cooperation. China’s economy grew 5% in the first quarter of 2026 and will further open itself to foreign investments, as it was stressed during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Feb. 25-26 visit. She mentioned that BASF had opened the world’s most modern chemical plant in China, as an example of the broad potential for cooperation between the world’s second- and third-largest economies.
The first panel, “Quality Opening as Engine of Global Governance,” was opened by ACCWS deputy director Fan Daqi, who briefly presented the result of a research paper by his institute. The paper shows the complementarity of the two economies and the perspective of cooperation in third state markets. He called for strengthening institutional guarantees. He was followed by Michael Bose, chairman of Automotive Berlin Brandenburg (ABB), who addressed the “complex interrelations” of the automobile industry. Comparing the German auto industry with the Chinese one today, he said, you must admit that the “teachers have become students.”
Shi Shiwei, director of the Research Center for German-Chinese Trade at China’s University of International Business and Economics, detailed the innovative sectors that are significant for Germany where investments should be directed according to the new Five-Year Plan.
Bernd Einmeier, chairman of the German-Chinese Society for Economy, Education and Culture, stated bluntly that “Germany has no idea of what China is.” He highlighted the high symbolism of the treatment given to Merz’s visit to China, as Chinese leaders agreed to receive him on the day of their most important traditional period, the New Year celebrations.
Oliver Lubich, sales manager at Hainan Airlines in Berlin, said that the potential for air traffic between the German capital and Hainan is much larger than the 55 flights currently established by treaty.
At the end of the panel, moderated by Ossenkopp, the speakers joined the podium for two rounds of questions. Importantly, Einmeier pointed to the different quality of teaching in Germany’s dual-purpose vocational schools, and proposed to integrate Germany’s and China’s educational methods. Director Shi criticized the EU 2030 strategy, which is “focused on only one thing,” namely decarbonization.
The second panel, “Civilizational Exchange and Mutual Learning,” was moderated by Hu Yajuan and was opened by Michael Müller, former mayor of Berlin and member of the Bundestag, the German parliament. Müller recalled how he had opposed the idea of “decoupling” from China when the issue was discussed in German political circles, and is happy that it has been rejected. “We should discuss not if, but how to develop cooperation,” he said. His experience as mayor tells him that a lot can be done with partnerships at the municipal level. Another field where cooperation can advance is science. The third issue is BRICS: it is a reality which one must face. Fourth, climate and demography. “There is not one single crisis which either we or China, alone, can solve.” Müller insisted that in a partnership, both parties must have the right also to address critical aspects.
Reason as a Precondition for Learning
Cord Eberspächer, a sinologist and historian at Bonn University, informed the audience that Confucius insisted that “the right content of terms” must be clarified before starting a dialogue. Another way to say this is “reason as precondition,” a curiosity for learning which was key in Leibniz’s fundamental work on China. Unfortunately, this does not occur today. Dialogue is meant differently in China and the West. The West believes that its idea of values is the right one, Eberspächer said in a veiled answer to Müller. So, when Germany sells cars to every country in the world it is called “successful export economy,” but when the Chinese do the same thing, it is called “overcapacity.”
Zhou Hengxiang, Germanist and author, addressed the issue of differences between the German and the Chinese system of law. He gave the example of how the German terms “person” and “man” (human being) are merged in one single term in the Chinese system, thus making it less “clean” to extend the legal term from human beings to corporations, etc.
Rainer Dumpff, CEO of Dumpff Project Management, reported about his decades-long experience in China, from where, as a young man, he wanted to know China in two weeks and soon realized that that was impossible. Among other occupations, he has worked with the aeronautic industry and has represented the Dresdner Musikfestspiele (musical festival) in China.
Yuan Jie, Germanist and columnist, highlighted the recent positive shift in the German government attitude toward China, mentioning statements by Industry Minister Katherina Reiche in a video connection to the inauguration of the BASF plant mentioned above, Merz’s statements on the eve of his visit to China, burying decoupling forever, and the German International Chamber of Commerce calling China “a reliable partner.”
In the following podium’s interviews with the panelists, the question was posed: Where do prejudices come from? Eberspächer, among others, said they come from ignorance, and joined the call for more learning about China in schools.
The event was judged by all participants as a promising starting point toward a paradigmatic change in Germany (Europe)-China relations.
