Marathon man set for long haul

China is a key global partner for Germany, says ambassador

When a long-distance runner arrives in China's capital not long before the Beijing Marathon, the connection would seem obvious. But in this case, Michael Clauss has a different long run in mind.

Germany's new ambassador to China says he's always been fascinated by the country, a posting he pushed hard to win after many years' work in European Union relations. Arriving in mid-September, he soon found himself in the thick of things. The embassy hosted German nationals and friends for an election-night watch recently, and had a reception for the country's National Day celebration.

Clauss says the September parliamentary election and the efforts to form a governing coalition will mean "very little" change in his country's relations with China. Interaction between the two nations is already at a high level, and expanding those ties enjoys wide consensus at home.

"We believe that trust, confidence and understanding are the major building blocks for dealing with the 21st century's global challenges, such as climate change, global poverty, energy security and fragile states."

"China is a key partner for Germany in the world," he says. "Within the EU, Germany is China's most important trade partner, accounting for a third of all EU trade with China. Germany's exports to China have been growing continuously and together we have set the goal of reaching a trade volume of 200 billion euros by 2015.

"China is among the very few countries with which we hold regular fully fledged intergovernmental consultations attended by almost all of our government ministers," Clauss says. "This shows the high level of mutual trust and confidence that exists between our countries. Through our strategic partnership we have established excellent relations. They cover the full range of exchanges between our governments, economies, civil societies and cultures. This also allows us to engage in areas where our opinions and values may differ. Our bilateral dialogues on the rule of law and on human rights play a very important role in this regard."

Overcoming the European debt crisis is the first challenge for Berlin's diplomacy, he says. But as key economic indicators begin to look up in Europe, Clauss says, Germany must overcome a sense abroad that the crisis has kept the continent's focus too inward.

"The second challenge is to enhance and strengthen our relations with the major emerging powers, not only on a bilateral basis but also between China and the EU. Among the emerging powers, China by far is the most important one."

China, in fact, in 2012 was Germany's NO 3 trading partner, and analysts predict it could move up and become NO 1 in just a few years. That makes Clauss eager to take in his big new assignment very quickly, and to get to know the diversity of the country.

"I want to look beyond the glaring megacities along the coast and to get to know the diversity of this country," he says. "Together with my wife and our four children I am happy to be given this opportunity to plunge into this fascinating culture, tradition and language."

He is already making plans to see China's regions, including far away places such as Xinjiang, where a new Volkswagen factory will open next year. And the embassy has launched a cultural bus tour to showcase German language and culture in 28 Chinese communities over the next two years.

"My job is about government relations and the economy," he says, "but it is also people coming together."

Sharing language, he says, is a key part of sharing another cultural consciousness. So he is as eager about his own upcoming Mandarin lessons as he is about the bus that will take the tongue of Goethe and Gunter Grass across China's heartland.

Germany has a long tradition of academic excellence, technological innovation and a rich cultural heritage, Clauss says, but he is eager to give Chinese people a better sense of contemporary Germany. He's delighted that 25,000 Chinese students are already studying in German universities - the biggest group of foreign students in the country.

"They are most welcome in Germany's multicultural cities like Berlin," he says, "which attract young people from all over the world with their atmosphere of freedom, creativity and career opportunities."

The ambassador also wants to add a European perspective to Germany's image, noting that the continent's societies, economies and political systems are deeply linked and interdependent.

Clauss has invested much of his previous career in helping to build that sentiment at home. He joined the foreign service in 1988, and in 2002 was named head of Germany's Secretariat for the EU Convention. Most recently, he has been director-general for European Affairs at the Foreign Office in Berlin since 2010, a post he held until his recent appointment to Beijing.

"Nations and nationalities have lost much of their dividing potential in Europe," he says. "Our societies, economies and political systems are deeply linked and interdependent. That is why I think that the notion of being German, French or Polish is increasingly supplemented by a new sentiment: being European."

As the biggest member state, Clauss says, Germany will continue to be a driver of European integration, which will streamline the workings of international trade. Meanwhile, Germany is ready to help China in its drive for an economic upgrading.

For example, he says, "German car companies are among the most advanced in the world and already cooperate closely with Chinese companies on alternative fuels. Renewable energy production has traditionally been a strength of German companies and many of them are successfully engaged in China. The same is true for environmentally friendly technologies, sustainable urban development or energy-efficient construction.

"I also want to encourage more Chinese companies to invest in Germany. To date, German investment in China by far surpasses Chinese investment in Germany. Chinese companies that have found their way to Germany, such as Huawei and Sany, already benefit from the qualified workforce and innovation potential of Europe's leading market."

He is quick to note that in 2012, Germany and China celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations. "Our relations have continuously grown stronger and closer," Clauss says.

While Clauss is ready to take that message across China, there are still packing cases to deal with at the embassy residence and many meetings here in the capital. But he has a valuable ally as he learns the city: His 15-year-old son, the oldest of the family's four children, already knows his way around town a bit. The teenager's best discovery so far: shopping on Sunday, which isn't done in his home country.

For dad, the next year will doubtless be a marathon of activity. He plans to stay in China for the upcoming year-end holidays, and hopes to enjoy some winter skiing outside Beijing with his longtime friend Markus Ederer, the ambassador of the EU.

And by October 2014, he says, he'll have had his feet on the ground long enough to be ready for the next Beijing Marathon.

michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 11/08/2013 page28)