施明賢（德語：Michael Schaefer，1949年—），德國外交官、作家、法學家，曼海姆大學法學博士，中國政法大學名譽教授。現任墨卡托中國研究所顧問委員會成員、Alliance4Europe顧問委員會成員[1]。 曾任德國駐華大使[2]、寶馬基金會董事會主席、三邊委員會德國小組成員、德國聯合國協會董事會成員、海牙國際司法研究所全球安全、正義與治理委員會（Commission on Global Security, Justice & Governance of The Hague Institute for Global Justice）成員[3]。
答：競爭是經濟的本性，隻有競爭才有進步。我們現在的世界，整飭在一個非常艱難的轉型期，經濟從區域性經濟轉向全球性經濟，數字化促使技術技巧know how and technical ，通過網絡快速傳播. 有競賽很好，並且，我堅信中國將會成為一個強有力的參賽者，我認為，一代一路倡議應該為穩定性做出貢獻。隻有讓各國人民互相接觸，讓他們共同思考，未來碰到的問題應該怎樣解決，我們才能夠做到這一點，如果，我們做到這一點，使一代一路倡議，真正成為新絲綢之路。個大陸之間雙向和多向交流的橋梁的話，我認為，到那時，我們就可以改變我們的世界。這個你們可以做到，因為你們都很年輕，你們將成為未來世界的主導者。
Ambassador Schaefer talks about the “Zukunftsbrücke”
Internet companies outdo one another in charity
BDI demands distinct boundaries
Car sales continue to plummet
SMIC builds new factory
Tensions at talks on climate protection
EU seeks common approach
Profile: Rasmus C. Beck
Dear reader,
In China, big companies are outdoing each other with big donations right now. Alibaba set the bar with the equivalent of 13 billion euros – two-thirds of its last annual profit. Our team in Beijing has been investigating whether the money is really benefiting “general prosperity,” as state and party head Xi Jinping has recently pressed for. Perhaps the philanthropic generosity also serves as an effective strategy to dampen the party leadership’s ire toward billionaires and large corporations?
Michael Schaefer, former ambassador to China, regards civil society relations with China with concern and hope. Concern, because the channels of communication have narrowed considerably, even though dialogue is crucial right now. Hope, because there are still access points. In Monday’s interview with China.Table, he explains how these may be accessed. Schaefer, meanwhile, warns against the idea that China will yet become a democracy along Western lines. He nevertheless calls for respectful dialogue at eye level. There is simply no alternative.
The IAA Mobility trade show starts today in Munich. So this week, we take another look at various car trends.
I hope your week starts well,
Your
Ning Wang
INTERVIEW
“No dialogue is achieved with moralizing lectures”.
Michael Schaefer looks back on many aspects of the German-Chinese exchange: he was both German ambassador to Beijing and head of a major charitable foundation in Germany. In an interview with China.Table, he explains why dialogue is currently floundering – and what paths can lead out of this impasse. Schaefer was one of the initiators of “Zukunftsbrücke – Chinese-German Young Professional Campus”, which celebrated its tenth anniversary this weekend with an event in Berlin. Finn Mayer-Kuckuk spoke with Schaefer.
Disclaimer: This interview has been translated into English and is not considered an official translation by any party involved in the interview.
Mr. Ambassador, over the past ten years, the “Zukunftsbrücke” program has brought more than 240 young people with professional experience from China and Germany together. However, the channels of communication with China have also become very narrow during this time. Can you tell us again what was possible back then?
I had the idea for this project back in 2008, one year after my arrival as ambassador to China. Even then, there was a lack of informal channels for discussing contentious issues between Germany and China in a spirit of trust. We, therefore, wanted to establish a process that would open up new avenues of sustainable understanding. The Atlantic Bridge served as a model. It was to be a program over a longer period of time, bringing together future leaders from both countries. Each year, 15 young leaders from each country, not just “one-track specialists” but exciting people from all parts of society. In this way, we wanted to bring as many different perspectives as possible to the exchange on topics of common interest.
