On June 3rd German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas @HeikoMaas was interviewed on ARD, Germany's first public service broadcasting station. He was asked whether Germany should respond to the deteriorating political situation in Hong Kong with sanctions against China /1 
In this interview German Foreign Minister Maas @HeikoMaas suggested that Germany was too small to stand up to China as a new super power. Maas also called for a Europe-wide strategy, which he admitted would be difficult to achieve (10:56 onwards) /2
When confronted with his previous highly symbolic and public support for @joshuawongcf Foreign Minister Maas became very defensive. "[Joshua Wong] is entitled to his opinon. He has a very separatist approach, that is not the position of the [German] federal government." /3
By falsely claiming that @joshuawongcf advocates separatism German Foreign Minister Maas @HeikoMaas parroted Chinese Communist Party propaganda on German national TV. Maas used language which we normally read in the CCP's mouthpiece Global Times /4
globaltimes.cn/content/116838…
globaltimes.cn/content/116838…
Heiko Maas accusation that @joshuawongcf stands for separatism is not only baseless, but also dangerous. The CCP will be able to use such public statements by a prominent western politician to press charges against @joshuawongcf under the National Security Law /5
It is clear that German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass @HeikoMaas does not #StandWithHongKong. But to hear his careless comments about @joshuawongcf is gut-wrenching, especially since Joshua has been repeatedly harassed by thugs for his political activism /6
In my own work as a politically-engaged academic I have worked with many activists in the past. While I also don't always agree with all they say, Heiko Maas seems to have forgotten that they put their lives on the line to defend democracy and freedom. They deserve our respect /7
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas @HeikoMaas visibly enjoyed basking in the limelight with @joshuawongcf in Autumn 2019. Did the subsequent criticism by the CCP get under his skin? His comments from June 3rd suggest that this is indeed the case /End
theguardian.com/world/2019/sep…
theguardian.com/world/2019/sep…
If you would like to see a more assertive German - and by extension European - China policy 🇩🇪🇪🇺🇨🇳please sign the petition "Europe can no longer afford Germany's failed China policy of 'change through trade'".
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We already have more than 8400 supporters.
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It takes a collective and long term effort to change public policies. Let’s be persistent. We will get there!
change.org/p/politicians-…
It takes a collective and long term effort to change public policies. Let’s be persistent. We will get there!
change.org/p/politicians-…
