Germany’s Scholz urges Xi to exert influence on Russia

BEIJING — In a much-scrutinized meeting Friday with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged China to exert its influence on Russia, while the Chinese leader repeated a call for talks between Moscow and Ukraine and warned against the conflict going nuclear. Scholz was in Beijing for a one-day visit that has drawn criticism over China’s tacit support for Russia, lingering controversies over economic ties and human rights issues, as well as the timing of the trip. At a later news conference, Scholz said he told Xi that “it’s important for China to exert its influence on Russia.” He gave no details on what the West wanted China to do. In an apparent reference to European lawmakers and the Baltic state of Lithuania that China has banned and boycotted over their relations with Taiwan, Scholz said, “It is also important to be clear that economic measures against individual EU member states are directed against the entire EU single market, and sanctions against EU lawmakers are not acceptable for us.” Scholz has come under criticism for making the visit to China so soon after Xi’s triumph at last month’s congress, at which he promoted allies who support his vision of tighter control over society and the economy and a more confrontational approach to the West. VW’s China head, Ralf Brandstatter, said Scholz’s visit was important during “politically and economically challenging times like these.” China is Germany’s most important trading partner, with 5,000 German companies active in the country and hundreds of thousands of German jobs tied to the Chinese market.