Lecture
Details
In cooperation with the Chinese Association for European Studies/affiliate German-Studies and the Sino-German Center for Research of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences the KAS/Beijing held the lecture programme “German-Chinese cooperation: Values and Interests”.
China and Germany maintain close relations for more than 40 years. The bilateral cooperation deepened and diversified significantly in the course of time.
The trade relations are of particular significance: China is the main economic partner of Germany within Asia and Germany is the main trade partner in Europe.
The material interests are high. However, value standards are a much more complex issue: To what extant should foreign policy be led by values? What role does the cultural understanding of each other play?
Foreign policy must balance between the various material and ideal interests. The question on the balance of interest and moral poses a challenge to decision-makers and determines the debate of foreign-policy.
To what extant should a country decisively support its values and define its interests?
Are values and interests separable from each other or necessarily go hand in hand?
Prof. Dr. Sandschneider, Otto Wolff-Director of the Research Institute of the DGAP, commented on these and other issues. In the ensuing discussion, the debate continued and deepened the analysis.
