Time has also come to initiate a serious debate

Germany has relied on on bilateral negotiations
and discussions with China in the past, but the progress in
terms of equal market access, for example, has not always
been satisfactory. As Germany and other EU member states
continue to become more important investment targets for
Chinese companies, this could be used to leverage greater
reciprocity. The envisaged bilateral investment agreement
which the EU and China have been negotiating since 2013
would be an appropriate platformto apply this leverage and
insist on a negotiated settlement.

The practical implementation of the agreements
should play a central role, thus
avoiding the rise of a “paper tiger. ”