Conclusions: Why the German State Should Deal with the Concerns of its Citizens Who Live Abroad
Having discussed the various issues of concern of German expats in Hong Kong and Thailand, this concluding section devotes itself to address the important question of why governments, like that of Germany, should even care about the needs of their populations abroad and develop respective policies and capacities.Good governance includes the protection of a state's citizens no matter if they live within the boundaries of this state's territory or abroad. In addition, a state's engagement in the lives of its expats is in fact contributing positively to the overall security of the state. For example, it has been noted in the special context of migration that expats can be effective ambassadors of their countries of origin,[1] and that, as such, they may be able to enhance their state's soft power in international relations[2] —that is, the ability of a state to obtain desired outcomes in world politics "because other countries – admiring its values, emulating its example, and aspiring to its level of prosperity and openness – want to follow it".[3] Furthermore, in the literature, emphasis is given to the potential of German (and other) expats to connect "domestic business with international sources of trade, investment and knowledge".[4] Expats therefore contribute to the global integration of national econ-omies.
In a nutshell: In addition to the strive of a state's government for good governance it is the combined reasons of advancing human well-being and a state's prosperity and security that should compel governments, like that of Germany, to engage with the lives and concerns of their people abroad.
This text is part of the policy brief on "Germans Abroad".
