On May 11, 2023, in Berlin, Wang Dan, Director of the Dialogue China Think Tank, held a formal meeting at the German Bundestag with Mike Roth, Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr. Roth is a senior politician in Germany’s ruling Social Democratic Party (SDP) and has served as Deputy Foreign Minister of Germany.
During the meeting, Wang Dan expressed great appreciation for Mr. Roth’s recent remarks on the China issue. Wang Dan pointed out that since Xi Jinping took office, the CCP has undergone profound changes. Its ambitions toward Taiwan pose a serious challenge to the global civilizational order. If European countries do not remain vigilant, they may pay a greater price in the future. Wang Dan suggested that Germany and other European countries should deepen their understanding of China, and that dialogue with China think tanks should serve as a bridge to help Western countries listen to the opinions and suggestions of Chinese people (including new immigrants from the middle class) who oppose authoritarianism and pursue democracy. At the same time, Wang Dan also called on Germany and other European countries to publicly express their expectations for China’s democratization and to strengthen support for China’s democratic movement.
Mr. Rote first expressed admiration for Wang Dan’s efforts for democracy over the past thirty years. He pointed out that relations between Europe and China are at a turning point, and EU countries need a common strategy and voice to avoid being divided and ruled by the CCP. He said, “We are not here to guide your work, but to help us understand China.” We hope that those Chinese people fighting for democracy know our steadfast support for them. Mr. Roth suggested that Wang Dan let more Germans hear the voices of Chinese democrats and be willing to assist in this effort. Finally, both sides reached a series of specific agreements on future cooperation channels and methods.
The think tank will maintain regular and close contact with Mr. Roth and his colleagues in the future, and looks forward to further collaboration.
Dialogue with Chinese think tanks
2023.5.11