GERMANY- CHINA. BETWEEN ECONOMIC CALCULATION, CULTURE AND POLITICS

The article brings an assessment of German-Chinese economic relations against the backdrop of China's developing economic relations with the world. It must be acknowledged that bilateral relations are determined not only by a necessity of economic growth, but at least on the Chinese part they are shaped by politics and culture. The analysis is limited to continental China. The authoress verifies the thesis that in spite of an extremely dynamic development of economic cooperation it must still be seen in terms of Germany's catching up on arrears in relations with other especially Asian partners of China. This recognition remains valid even though FRG is China's biggest trade partner among the member states of the EU and the source of most of its foreign direct investments. Also for Germany, China is the biggest trade partner in the region of Asia and Pacific. Attention should also be drawn to the rapid increase of China's competitiveness on the German market, as China has become an important exporter of a large variety of goods. China's engagement in the German stock market must be considered the most noteworthy change in mutual relations, enabling Germany to achieve a positive outstanding balance of capital exchange. Both sides are vitally interested in the development of bilateral economic relations in the future and the course of these relations will influence the way China conducts its prospective economic policy.