Germany and China vowed to continue fighting climate change. Alas, Germany is blinded by the Chinese sun.

Merkel: "So we two now make planet clean?"

Germany and China vowed on Thursday to expand their partnership and pledged to continue fighting climate change, sending a signal to Washington hours before U.S. President Donald Trump announces if he will quit a global climate deal.

Berlin was the first stop in Europe for Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, amid growing concern in Germany over some of Trump's policies, especially on climate change and protectionism. He was due to head later for Brussels.

"China has become a more important and strategic partner," Merkel said at a news conference with Li, pointing to political, economic, social and cultural ties.

It would not be the first time Merkel reads the tea leaves wrong. Firstly, Germany's solar panels industry is bankrupt. Secondly, it is a big difference having a monopoly as currency issuer. China has that monopoly and is using it. China has the Magic Money Tree. Germany has not as it is a member of a currency union.

Germany's SolarWorld (SWVKk.DE), once Europe's biggest solar power equipment group, said on Wednesday it would file for insolvency, overwhelmed by Chinese rivals who had long been a thorn in the side of founder and CEO Frank Asbeck, once known as "the Sun King".

Green Energy Bust in Germany

Bankruptcies Have German Solar on the Ropes

Enter China.

When solar panels became job killers

But economists  and  business  groups  warn  that China’s  industrial  ambitions  have  entered  a  new, far-reaching  phase.  With  its  deep  government  pockets, growing  technical  sophistication  and  a  comprehensive plan  to  free  itself  from  dependence  on  foreign  companies, China  aims  to  become  dominant  in  industries  of  the future  like  renewable  energy,  big  data  and  self-driving cars. With  solar,  it  has  already  happened.   

China is now home to  two-thirds of the world’s  solar-production capacity.  The  efficiency  with  which  its  products  convert sunlight  into electricity  is increasingly close to that of panels  made by American,  German  and  South  Korean companies. Because China also buys half of the  world’s new solar  panels, it now effectively  controls  the  market.

Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord was right. It is an accord based on wishful thinking without anyone's real commitment.