Annalena Baerbock’s trip to China shows her talent and her limitations

IT WAS AN idyllic scene in Karuizawa, a mountain resort not far from Tokyo. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and cherry trees still in blossom, a group of children struck up jolly tunes on their violins for the foreign ministers of the G7 group of industrialised countries who had just got off the shinkansen, Japan’s famous high-speed train. Holding a bouquet of yellow flowers, Annalena Baerbock was beaming. Germany’s foreign minister seemed relieved to be surrounded by Antony Blinken and her other counterparts from friendly countries. Behind her was the most difficult trip of her 16 months in the job: a visit to China.