elmut Schmidt, former German Chancellor, died at age 96 in Hamburg on November 10th. The world has lost a wise statesman and China a dear friend. Long been described as one of the most respected figures in Germany of all times, even his chain smoking and “Big Mouth” were tolerated in this rigorous country where smokers have often been censured and penalized. Whenever major events took place, or the country and public were at a loss, eyes would turn to Hamburg for inspiration and wisdom. He himself, however, never took his own eyes off China.

According to his close friends, China interested him most during his latter years. He was hoping to find the answer to a key question about human civilization and development: among all the ancient civilizations, why is it that only the Chinese Civilization has an uninterrupted history of 5,000 years? What’s more, in recent decades, it has yet again been thriving with great vitality and has embarked on an unprecedented experiment.

Time and again, Helmut Schmidt cautioned “westerners” on various occasions not to “mis-read China” when they tried to impose a different development path on China. He warned that the West had no right to play God and dictate China’s development, and should have due respect towards this ancient civilization and its current “experiment”. When interventionism was rampant, he stayed committed to the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs and admonished the abuse of “democracy” and “freedom” as tools for political intervention.

For those who would habitually throw their weight around and meddle in other countries’ affairs, Schmidt’s positive comments on China were probably the last thing they want to hear. He was even labeled a ”diehard” panda hugger by some German media.

In China, indeed, Helmut Schmidt was a much respected friend. Nevertheless, his friendliness towards China was never the careful calculations of a politician, nor the motivated deviation of a maverick. Being head of government and the country’s effective leader, he had every reason to calculate and balance with the country’s interests in mind before taking the appropriate stance.

Keeping close relations with an economic powerhouse is always held dear by any country as people garner as many benefits as possible for their own countries through economic ties or gain more say in an international community piggybacking on this country’s rising global political status. Dealing with China is no exception. Those dubbed international political thinkers certainly have the same considerations. Schmidt, however, kept his unique interest in and attention towards China, which, in his own sharp words, was out of God endowed “curiosity”.

For decades, Schmidt was optimistic about China’s development and always remained a dear friend to the Chinese government and people, not because of political calculations, but a deep insight into China’s ancient history and recent development, a quest for the ultimate answer to the rise and fall of human civilization and an abhorrence of the hubris towards and interference in non-western countries by western civilizations after power politics took the west by storm and took root.

With the decease of this wise man, gone was also a bridge between East and West and possibly a reasonable degree of “essence” in Germany’s “China Aufmerksamkeit” (China Attention). Though we all have our own ways to remember Schmidt, his unique intellectual legacy in German and Chinese civilization should be cherished, at least for some time. 

The author is the Chair of the University Council of Shanghai International Studies University (SISU).

(Translated by Sapphire Hanxiao LIUYIN)

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The translations for this column are contributed by the faculty and students of SISU's Graduate Institute of Interpretation and Translation (GIIT).