Modern Chinese-German Relations as a Reflection of the Crisis in Transatlantic Unity Amid the Western-Chinese Confrontation

One of the most significant aspects of today’s global geopolitical landscape is the ongoing rivalry between Western countries and the People’s Republic of China. This article explores the origins and key contemporary features of Chinese-German relations and assesses their most likely future trajectories within this broader context. To this end, the study employs systemic and geopolitical analytical approaches, allowing for a comprehensive examination of bilateral relations between China and Germany, particularly in light of their membership in opposing geopolitical blocs. The analysis takes into account a range of geopolitical, economic, and – specifically for Germany – domestic political factors that shape these interactions. The study draws on a diverse set of sources, including analytical reports, statistical data, monographs, and scholarly articles from both domestic and German academic publications. The findings lead to several important conclusions. Western countries are undergoing a deep crisis, with their capacity for global leadership significantly weakened, in part due to the erosion of transatlantic unity. Although both China and Germany have been major beneficiaries of the globalization era, that era is now drawing to a close. Given Germany’s alignment with the United States and its EU allies, as well as China’s assertive defense of its national interests, the prospects for positive developments in Chinese-German relations in the near term appear limited. Consequently, the future trajectory of their relationship remains highly uncertain.