Alice Weidel: The Iron Lady” and her surprising fame in China

Alice Weidel: The Iron Lady” and her surprising fame in China

China - Alice Weidel, the co-boss of the AfD, has developed into a prominently celebrated figure in China in recent years. While German media report about six years of work in China, according to the Chinese sources, she lists a total of eleven years in the Asian country. During this time, Weidel was not exclusively at the Bank of China, as is often known; Rather, she had jobs at Goldman Sachs and the Allianz in Frankfurt, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Weidel speaks fluently Chinese and has an academic background in economics, which makes its position within the AfD an interesting contrast, since many of their political statements show ambivalent and sometimes critical attitudes towards China. Despite her setbacks in German politics, Weidel shows herself in China as a "iron lady" and achieves great interest in social media such as Weibo.

academic and professional career

her dissertation, which deals with the pension system of the People's Republic of China, has completed "Magna Cum Laude" at the University of Bayreuth. Even if it was checked several times with suspected plagiarism, these investigations did not provide any reliable results. After completing her studies, Weidel worked for several years in China at the end of the 2000s before joining the AfD in 2013 and was finally elected to the Bundestag in 2017.

in recent years Weidel's attitude has changed towards China. First of all, their focus was on the protection of German technologies and the topic of economic dependency. However, she has also become increasingly critical of the United States and warns of a one-sided focus on the US China policy. Your suggestions for dealing with China include a balance between critical argument and the preservation of economic relationships.

popularity in China and political implications

The Chinese government shows interest in Weidel's political views and hopes for a less critical direction of German politics, especially in view of the current economic instability in Germany. Beijing sees an increase in political unrest and economic crises in Germany that could harm international relations. China's leadership supports Weidel's perspective on migration policy, which contributes to her popularity in social media.

The AfD itself has announced that it wants to expand the economic, scientific and cultural contacts with China while pleading for a fair competition at the same time. This intention is positively received by China's leaders, especially in view of the fact that German companies, especially in the automotive industry, are important investors in China. In the second quarter of 2024, the investments of German companies in China reached a record volume of 3.6 billion euros.

The successes of the AfD and Weidel's position in China could, however, be slowed down by the political reality in Germany. Despite its popularity, the party will probably not be part of a new federal government, which could reduce Beijing's hopes for a cooperation partner in Berlin.

China's positive perception of Weidel, who also welcome her support for Elon Musk and her nationalist orientation, is in a strong contrast to the critical voices about the AfD in Germany. The interplay of these dynamics raises interesting questions about the influence of internet hormones and transnational political game.

summarized Weidel's previous career in both Germany and China, both as an opportunity and as a challenge for future relationships. While it is observed by the Chinese media as a strong politician, her real political power in Germany is restricted by the complex conditions of her party and her political landscape.

For more information about Alice Weidel, you can report the reports of Merkur , Stuttgart Nachrichten and NZZ