
Chinese social media posts falsely claim German right-wing leader praises China
"Co-chairwoman of Germany's AfD Weidel said only China's strength can defeat the United States' arrogance and force it sit down and negotiate!" its caption says.
"Throughout history, the United States has only sat down for equal negotiations twice -- once during the Korean War, and again during the trade war. China was on the other side of the negotiations both times."
Simplified Chinese text overlaid on the clip largely repeats the claim.
The post appeared alongside a tide of false claims about the trade war between Washington and Beijing circulating online, which were amplified by Chinese state media outlets (archived link).
The two sides announced a truce on May 12 that halted tit-for-tat tariffs announced since President Donald Trump's return to the White House, with a further "framework" agreement reached on June 10 (archived link). China would supply rare earth minerals to the United States, which in turn would allow Chinese students to remain in US universities.
Image
Screenshot of the false post taken on June 11, 2025
on X, TikTok and Weibo.
Social media users appeared to believe the circulating claim, with one saying, "She is the guiding light of Germany".
Another wrote, "Such an outspoken woman!"
Despite having lived and worked in China, Weidel rarely publicly comments on the country (archived link). However, her subtitled speeches circulate widely on Chinese social media, with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle attributing her popularity to AfD and Beijing having similar stances on issues such as European military aid for Ukraine (archived link).
The circulating video in fact shows Weidel criticising the German government, not praising China.
A reverse image search found the clip was taken from a livestream of her speech at an AfD rally in Thuringia on August 31, 2024, a month before regional elections in Germany (archived link).
Image
Screenshot comparison of the false video (L) and AfD's livestream
During her remarks, she called the government's deportation of 28 Afghan nationals -- who German authorities said were "convicted offenders" with no right to remain -- a day before the AfD rally a "gimmick" (archived link).
The false clip can be seen at the 55:04 mark of the livestream, where she went on to say, "Nothing is achieved. It should be up to a thousand people, not just 28."
She did not mention China during the speech.
German media reported Weidel told rally-goers that AfD would "ban Antifa as a terrorist organisation" if her party came to power during her speech (archived link).

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

LeMonde
an hour ago
- LeMonde
Donald Trump is on the verge of winning his trade war
When Donald Trump decided, in early spring, to abruptly suspend his unilateral tariffs after triggering a financial panic, the Financial Times published a sarcastic comment about the US president in early May, calling him "TACO" for "Trump always chickens out" in trade negotiations. This infuriated the head of state. "That's a nasty question," he said in the Oval Office of the White House after a journalist asked him about it. On July 15, Wall Street Journal columnist Greg Ip offered a less humorous but more direct evaluation: "Forget TACO. Trump is winning his trade war." The issue is not to defend Trump's trade policy – the WSJ called it "the dumbest trade war in history" – but to analyze whether the president is achieving the goals he set for himself. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, is set to meet the US head of state in Scotland on Sunday, July 27, in a last-ditch effort to reach a deal before the August 1 deadline to avoid 30% tariffs on European goods. The WSJ columnist recalled that the president's intention was to impose the highest possible tariffs to protect American industry and fund all or part of the income tax. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent used the argument of tariffs as a negotiating tool in an attempt to reassure US partners. But that was not Trump's concern.


Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Orban vows to veto EU budget over frozen EU funds
The Hungarian government will not vote on the EU budget until Budapest receives its frozen EU funds, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a speech at the Bálványos Free University on Saturday. According to Orban, the adoption of the EU's record-breaking budget requires unanimity. "And until we get our backlog of money, there will be no new European budget. We will bring it home, and we will not make any concessions on our sovereignty," he said. Approximately €9.5 billion in COVID-19 recovery funding and €8.4 billion in cohesion funds make up the frozen funds by Brussels over persisting concerns about Hungary's democratic backsliding. Brussels and Budapest over the years have been at loggerheads on a range of issues, most recently that of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but the situation has been made worse by the financial issue. Orbán accuses the European Commission of "financial blackmail" and meddling in domestic matters due to its reasons for freezing the funds. Hungary previously unblocked about €10.2 billion of the frozen funds following the adoption of legislation aimed at reducing political meddling in its courts and strengthening judicial independence. However, a complaint was filed by the European Parliament against the EU Commission for its controversial decision to release the €10.2 billion ahead of a crucial summit. Some €18 billion remains frozen, with no signs or indication of progress, but in front of the large audience, Orban vowed to get the EU funds. Orban claims Trump helped avoid World War III The Commission's landmark €2 trillion long-term budget for 2028–2034 emphasises defence and economic competitiveness. For it to pass, it requires unanimous agreement among member states and must also be backed by Parliament, by a majority of its component members. In his speech in Tusványos on Saturday, Viktor Orbán said that the election of US President Donald Trump has helped the world to avoid a third world war for the time being, but the chances of its outbreak are still increasing. Orbán gave a speech with a sinister tone, touching on a variety of topics that included the war in Ukraine and the Fidesz party. The Hungarian PM blasted the EU for backing Ukraine and accused the EU leaders of dangerously waging a trade war with the Trump administration that Europe "cannot win." While some of his claims were typically outlandish, Orban received applause from the audience, with one attendee saying, "We got a very clear, very understandable vision from the Prime Minister. And we are not in an easy situation."


Euronews
3 hours ago
- Euronews
E3 leaders make new renewed call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza
The leaders of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, known as the E3, on Saturday issued a new call for an end to the Gaza war, describing the situation in the besieged enclave as appalling. According to a UK government statement, the three leaders, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President of France Emmanuel Macron, and Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz, spoke Saturday morning by phone. They emphasised the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, for Israel to lift all restrictions on aid and urgently provide those suffering in Gaza with the food they so desperately need, the statement said. "They discussed their intention to work closely together on a plan, building on their collaboration to date, which would pave the way to a long-term solution and security in the region," the statement added. Saturday's call follows that of Friday, where the European allies called for an immediate ceasefire, saying that "withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable." What could the E3 nations' action be? The leaders stated that they "stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians, and the entire region," but did not specify what that action may be. On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country will become the first major Western power to recognise a Palestinian state, drawing a backlash from the US and Israel. In Friday's joint statement, the leaders urged all parties to bring an end to the conflict and also called for an unconditional release of all hostages who have been held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023. While their call comes amid a breakdown of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, which hit a standstill after the US and Israel recalled their negotiating teams on Thursday, Starmer, Macron, and Merz stressed that the disarmament of Hamas remains imperative. "Hamas must have no role in the future of Gaza. We reaffirm our commitment to supporting the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, and Egypt," Friday's joint statement said. Gaza Starvation deaths rising This week, the world has woken up to grim images of children suffering malnutrition and dying from starvation in Gaza. Experts have warned that Gaza is being pushed closer to famine after months of Israel entirely blocking food or letting in only limited amounts. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) says nearly one in three people in Gaza has not been eating for days at a time, warning that malnutrition is rising, with around 90,000 children and women now in need of urgent treatment. In the past three weeks, at least 50 people died of causes related to malnutrition, including 28 adults and 22 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. That's up from 12 children who died in the five previous months of 2025, according to the ministry. UK to airdrop aid in Gaza On Saturday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to air-drop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance. In its statement on the call with Macron and Merz, the British prime minister said they all agreed it would be vital to ensure robust plans are in place to turn an urgently needed ceasefire into lasting peace. They agreed that once this plan was worked up, they would seek to bring in other key partners, including in the region, to advance it.