Former singer Michael Jackson sang a song called Black and White, and in many moral codes there is a definite right and wrong. While the song had to do with racial equality, black and white also refers to the right and wrong judgements. In the real world, we all move into grey, in the world of politics and business there are often more grey areas than strictly black and white.

In an article by Alexandra Stevenson and Melissa Eddy of the New York Times News Service wrote about the delicate balance the Chancellor of Germany needs to do on a regular basis. In the recent past, China was the manufacturing country of the world and German industry assisted and continue to do business in China. The war between Ukraine and Russia, Germany was leading the way towards sanctions to Russia sending no gas and oil to Europe which included 40% of Italy’s oil and gas needs as well as 30% of Germany’s needs. For decades, the commercial relationship with Germany and Russia have been very strong. At the present time, Russia has found new customers in both India and China. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in China to promote German business and greater relationship between the 2 countries.

The Chancellor promoted the interests of German companies that are finding it harder to compete in China. He also discussed the European Union (EU) believes it is becoming a dumping ground for Chinese goods produced a loss. It is noted both Germany and China’s economy are not doing as well as they used to.

In China, the Chancellor visited German companies with extensive investments in China and visited with trade representatives and officials in the sprawling industrial metropolis of Chongqing in China’s southwest. He also visited Shanghai and Beijing.

The Chancellor has a described China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival. China and Germany the world’s second and third largest economies in the world. Over 5,000 German companies have operations in China and have invested billions of dollars.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, all companies similar to countries have a variety of relationships with other companies and the people who work for it. Some of those relations are very good and some are designed to have reasonably friendly interests, some of those will be in trade or business organization or charities in their places where the companies do business. If the company can continually make profits to pay dividends, the relationships seem to more on the friendly side, however there is always the grey area when the competition increases their margins.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.