Der Spiegel looks at the work Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has done promoting German businesses in China since leaving his position:
After he was voted out of office in 2005, Schröder started working in private industry. He accepted a position at Nord Stream, a company that plans to build a German-Russian pipeline under the Baltic Sea, and he is also an adviser to the Switzerland-based Ringier media group.
In March 2006, Schröder introduced Michael Ringier, the group’s chairman, to Li Changchun, the politburo member responsible for propaganda (and, by extension, publishing). Schröder, with Ringier in tow, was able to practically march unobstructed into Li’s office. Since then, the two have made several trips to China together.
In Wuhan, an affable, balding, white-haired man from Germany’s Black Forest region is standing among the dignitaries. Martin Herrenknecht, 67, is the CEO of Herrenknecht, a German company that has been digging subway tunnels with giant boring machines in Chinese cities over the last few years. “Schröder is a great guy,” Herrenknecht says. “He’s ideal for small and medium-sized business owners like me, and he has good connections. I guess it pays to visit China more often.” The last remark is a small dig at the current chancellor, Angela Merkel. Ever since she met with the Dalai Lama in Germany, she and the Chinese have had their difficulties.
