Nach Moskau-Reise: Alt-Kanzler Schröder überraschend bei Forum in China

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) was unexpectedly present at a forum in China discussing global order in the aftermath of his visit to Russia. Accompanied by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Schröder entered the ceremony at the socialistic model city of Xiong, seated in the front row alongside his wife Soyeon Schröder-Kim.

Schröder did not deliver a speech during the opening ceremony. His visit to Russia had recently sparked criticism within his party, leading to calls for a party expulsion procedure. According to the Kremlin, Schröder congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his 74th birthday on October 7 in Moscow. Schröder, who served as Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, has been criticized due to his close ties with Putin and his advocacy for Russian energy companies.

Despite frequent meetings with Putin following the start of Russia's war against Ukraine, the specifics of Schröder's trips to China remain unknown. The identity of other attendees at the forum was initially unclear. The Global Governance Forum aims to build upon China's Global Governance Initiative, launched the previous year by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

China and Russia have long advocated for reforms towards a multilateral world order. The initiative seeks to expand multilateralism and promote a fair global balance of power, addressing the current dominance of the United States. China aims to shape a world order where Beijing fills the unjust power vacuum currently held by the US.

Wang emphasized the unprecedented shift in the global landscape since a century ago and the increasing number of intimidation acts and unilateral policies. While Wang did not name specific countries, China has previously expressed similar views toward Washington. China seeks to maintain its dominance and safeguard its interests, according to its government's June white paper on the initiative.

Developing countries remain underrepresented in various organizations, the paper notes. China presents itself as a voice of the Global South. In the white paper, Beijing calls for expanding the representation of developing countries on the UN Security Council and adjusting the International Monetary Fund's quotas, which determine credit limits, voting rights, and financial contributions.