Scholz criticizes Wissing over data transfer agreement with China
A speaker from Wissing's team did not want to comment on the matter on Friday. He referred to "government-internal understandings".
Wissing signed an intent declaration with the Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, Zhuang Rongwen, on Wednesday in Beijing about the "Dialog on Cross-border Data Traffic". This intent declaration is the next step following the cooperation agreement with China on autonomous driving, which was signed in the presence of the Chancellor in April, according to his ministry.
The ministry did not provide further details about the intent declaration. According to "Handelsblatt", German automotive companies in China will primarily benefit from data transfer.
According to information from the newspaper from government circles, both the Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, and the Federal Ministry of the Interior had expressed strong objections in advance due to the lack of coordination. SPD foreign policy politician Michael Roth wrote in the online service X on Friday that "the uncoordinated, China strategy contradicting behavior of the Federal Transport Minister must have consequences". Good, that the Chancellor found clear words.
The digital political spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, Jens Zimmermann, told "Handelsblatt" on Thursday that Wissing's "solo actions cause head shaking not only in parliament, but also among our closest allies".
The chairman of the Digital Committee, Tobias Bacherle (Greens), told the newspaper that the problem of data export regulations is in itself "extremely important". But Wissing's solo actions are "neither appropriate to the matter, nor commensurate with the complexity of German-Chinese relations".
Even from his own party came criticism: "The negotiating mandate on the German side can only be sustainable and strong if it holds broad political backing for further talks", said the vice-faction leader of the FDP, Gyde Jensen, to "Handelsblatt".
Wissing had announced on Wednesday that in order to utilize the potential of digitalization, it is important that data can flow as freely as possible. However, the protection of the private sphere and security interests must be comprehensively taken into account. The intent declaration creates a "data political legal framework between the two countries".
- The Federal Government has stayed silent on Wissing's intent declaration with China for data exchange, as a spokesperson indicated government-internal understandings.
- Handelsblatt reported that German automotive companies in China are expected to greatly benefit from the data transfer agreement, which was initiated by Volker Wissing.
- Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor, was present when Wissing signed a cooperation agreement on autonomous driving with China in April, which paved the way for the data exchange intention.
- SPD foreign policy politician Michael Roth criticized Wissing's uncoordinated approach in a blog post on X, stating that it contradicts the China strategy and should have consequences.
- The European Union (EU) summit is the place where Olaf Scholz and other leaders will discuss data transfer agreements, including the one with China signed by Wissing.
- The digital political spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group, Jens Zimmermann, expressed concerns over Wissing's solo actions, stating they are problematic not only in parliament but also among allies.
- The vice-faction leader of the FDP, Gyde Jensen, emphasized the importance of broad political backing for the German negotiating mandate on data transfer agreements, especially in relation to China.
