And it could spell disaster

For all of Europe

Welcome to China Uncensored, I'm Chris Chappell.

Germany has a China problem. A big one.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel  has gotten a lot of criticism

for being soft on China. 

Which is weird because normally  Angela Merkel seems so tough.

But I guess she melted when Xi Jinping  went all “panda diplomacy” on her.

Once again, it's the pandas.

It's always the pandas!

Stop falling for their stupid cuteness, people!

Even Putin fell for it.

But it's not just stupid pandas causing  Angela Merkel to be soft on China.

It's also German companies that  want to do business in China.

And Merkel is facing a revolt from  parliament for her reluctance to ban Huawei.

And her reluctance is pretty weird,

considering that her own government

told her that Huawei worked  with Chinese Intelligence.

And this is important.

Germany often sets the tone  for the rest of Europe.

For example, when Germany goes to  war, the rest of Europe does too.

Germany, such a trendsetter.

But all jokes aside, if Germany  were willing to use their power

to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party,

it would probably mean that China  couldn't get a foothold in most of Europe.

Unfortunately, certain people  in the German government

seem to have a soft spot  for authoritarian regimes.

Who would've guessed?

According to an Axios exclusive,

a top German official hushed up a  report on China's influence in Germany.

“A high-ranking German official suppressed  a sensitive intelligence report in 2018

on China's growing influence in Germany

out of fear it would damage  business ties with China.”

Funny how different a decision like  that looks in light of the coronavirus. 

The report looked at how  the Chinese Communist Party

has been seeking to influence every level

of German government, society, and business.

The report probably should  have taken a closer look

at the unnamed German official  who suppressed the report. 

Now according to Axios, Merkel did see the report.

And there's a reason why some  segments of the German government

have been so reluctant to ruffle China's feathers.

The former German Ambassador to China said,

“Germany depends on exports to a high degree,

and that gives business a large influence.

Business representatives talk to the  government and are used to being listened to.”

For example, Germany's largest  telecom is 32% state owned.

And guess what? It relies  heavily on Huawei technology. 

And “It has lobbied strongly against any action

that would make it harder for it to roll out 5G.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs,

often eager to defend the  interests of German industry,

has backed the firm.”

Volkswagen has had to defend its  operations in China's Xinjiang.

You know, where there's been a lot  of ethnic slave labor being used.

I knew there was a reason  Hitler liked the Volkswagen. 

But somehow I don't associate  the Volkswagen Bug with genocide.

That's good marketing.

Volkswagen has actually been  in China since the 1980s.

Which shows how long Germany

has had economic ties with  the Chinese Communist Party. 

“Germany's big industrial companies

including engineering behemoth Siemens, car  giant Volkswagen and chemical maker B.A.S.F.

were among the first Western companies  to make big bets on China in the 1980s.”

And Germany's economic relationship with China

has gotten closer and closer under Angela Merkel.

“In the 15 years since she took  over as chancellor in 2005,

German exports to China have quintupled.”

China is Germany's largest trading partner. 

And the Chinese Communist Party is working hard

to make sure the status quo  in Germany is maintained.

Huawei even wants to set up  a media outlet in Germany.

“The Chinese technology company  is looking for an editor-in-chief

to lead Huawei's news offering [in Germany].”

I wonder how Huawei News will report  on German-China relations and Huawei?

That's crazy. That's like Verizon  setting up a news office in America.

If Verizon were headquartered in Pyongyang.

Can you hear me now?

Now all this doesn't mean that Germany

has completely ignored  China's human rights issues.

They do talk about them. Merkel has  even met with the Dalai Lama. Twice. 

But while the German government is  willing to occasionally criticize  

the Chinese Communist Party,

they're not going to stop  doing business with them.

In fact, it seems like Germany's elite

may have bought into the  Communist Party's propaganda

that China is just different  and shouldn't be judged. 

One German billionaire said

“We can't judge the Chinese  according to our standard of values,

or our cultural or humanistic ideals.”

That same billionaire has

“spent decades dealing with China,

including as the Asia point man  for Germany's main industry lobby.”

Hmm, I wonder whether he's in that hushed  up report on China's influence in Germany.

But clearly, the future of Europe...  is being fought in Germany.

Seems strangely familiar, somehow.

And now it's time for me to  answer a question from one of you,

who supports China Uncensored through  the crowdfunding website Patreon.

Jenny Wong asks, “Hi Chris. Why Vatican/ the Pope

refused to meet Mike Pompeo

and the 88 year old Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen?

And that the Pope intentionally  omitted comments in speech a

bout China's security law in Hong Kong on July 5?”

Well that's a really great question.

I'd like an answer to that too.

The Pope hasn't really been talking much  about the national security law in Hong Kong.

And the Pope rejected a meeting with  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

who has been a vocal critic of  the Chinese Communist Party. 

That might be because last month,

the Vatican and China renewed an agreement

that allows the officially atheist Communist Party

to appoint Catholic bishops in China. 

And yes, China is already breaking the deal.

“Only last week in Jiangxi province,

dissenting Catholic priests have  been placed under house arrest,

in breach of an agreement to  protect clergy from coercion.”

Now I get why Merkel has been soft on China.

There's money on the line.

I don't get what the Vatican  gets out of being soft on China.

It's not as if the Chinese regime is persecuting

Christians or Catholics any less because of it.

If anything it's getting worse.

They say God works in mysterious ways.

Maybe the Pope is taking a cue from Him. 

Thanks for your question Jenny.

And if you'd like to hear more  about the Vatican's deal with China,

we'll be talking about that on the next  episode of our podcast, China Unscripted.

Yes, we have a podcast. Be sure to subscribe. 

And if you'd like to hear your  question or comment read on the show

for hundreds of thousands of people to hear,

join what I call the China Uncensored 50 Army...

and join me in the battle against  the Chinese Communist Party.

You can join for as little as a dollar per episode

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Head over to Patreon.com/China  Uncensored to learn more. Link is below.

Once again, I'm Chris Chappell. See you next time.