Jeo-Ekonomik Güç Yaklaşımı Çerçevesinde Almanya’nın Çin ile İlişkileri: Alman Dış Politikasının Stratejik Muamması?
Germany’s Relations with China within the Framework of the Geo-Economic Power Approach: A Strategic Dilemma for German Foreign Policy?

Summary/Abstract: In the aftermath of World War II, the Federal Republic of Germany experienced a period of remarkable economic prosperity, often referred to as the Wirtschaftswunder, owing to the implementation of a series of strategic policies that enabled the nation to swiftly overcome the devastation of the war and achieve sustained economic growth. Recently, it has emerged as the largest economy in Europe and the thirdlargest economy globally. The stability of production supply chains and the sustainability of access to global markets are of paramount importance for the export-based German economy. In this regard, economic and trade relations with China, Germany’s largest trading partner, are prominent. However, amid the Russia-Ukraine war and intensifying competition between the US and China, the future of China’s relationship with Germany, a Europe-centered geopolitical power, is being called into question. This article focuses on the period from the establishment of the SPD-Green Party coalition in 1998 during Gerhard Schröder’s chancellorship to the present day. It examines the extent to which Berlin has balanced its economic interests and mutual dependencies with Beijing with the values-based foreign policy frequently emphasized by German decision-makers. The article questions whether Germany’s relations with China present a strategic challenge to German foreign policy. Ultimately, the article concludes that, in the shadow of the lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine war and US pressure, Germany is attempting to preserve its geo-economic power within the current global power distribution.

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