Europe needs to firmly stand behind free trade policies, advocates Lambsdorff.
The Free Democratic Party (FDP) in the German Bundestag and the European Union (EU) has called for a significant shift in foreign policy, focusing on strengthening economic relations with Indo-Pacific states such as Japan, Australia, and India. In a statement made to the Funke media group's newspapers, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, deputy chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, emphasised the importance of committing to free trade. This call comes in response to the conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, a significant free trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region. The FDP is particularly interested in strengthening ties with democratic ASEAN countries, and they also target the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay) for strengthening economic relations through free trade and investment protection agreements. The FDP believes that close coordination with the USA is essential in these efforts. They also advocate for increased economic relations with Indo-Pacific states through free trade and investment protection agreements, both for Germany and the EU. The party has not provided details on how they plan to achieve their goal of committing to free trade. However, they have emphasised the importance of email communication in their foreign policy discussions. It is important to note that the FDP's foreign policy focus on Asia is not exclusive to any particular country, including China. The FDP's call for a focus on Asia and strengthening ties with value partners is not directed at China specifically. The FDP has not indicated whether they plan to negotiate free trade agreements with all Indo-Pacific states or only a select few. They have, however, made it clear that they believe these Indo-Pacific states should receive greater attention in German and European foreign policy. The FDP's statements regarding their foreign policy focus on Asia were made to the Funke media group's newspapers. The RCEP, the world's largest free trade agreement, has been concluded between China and 14 states in the Asia-Pacific region. The FDP believes that these Indo-Pacific states should benefit from similar opportunities for economic growth and cooperation.
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