Editor’s note for Monday, November 7, 2022

Germany is divided over how to handle China. This was reflected in how Chancellor Olaf Scholz justified his visit to Beijing to his critics, and the contrast between talk of human rights and discussions about business. But Scholz did get Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 to warn against the threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, even though he did not specifically mention Putin or Russia.

So our word of the day is Xi’s strongest criticism of Putin to date, given in a statement after his meeting with the German Chancellor.

Jointly oppose the threat or use of nuclear weapons, advocate that nuclear weapons cannot be used and that nuclear wars must not be fought.

共同反对使用或威胁使用核武器，倡导核武器用不得、核战争打不得。

Gòngtóng fǎnduì shǐyòng huò wēixié shǐyòng héwǔqì, chàngdǎo héwǔqì yòng bùdé, hé zhànzhēng dǎ bùdé.

For details on the Scholz visit, see our top story in today’s newsletter and a new piece on our website by Duncan Bartlett that looks at the divides within Germany and Europe about China.