Günther H. Oettinger, a European commissioner fromGermany, apologized on Thursday for describing Chinese people as “slit-eyes” and “sly dogs,” an about-face that came only after several days of pressure to acknowledge the offensive nature of his remarks. Mr. Oettinger, who made the comments last week in a speech to business leaders in Hamburg, Germany, had tried — and largely failed — to put the matter to rest by telling the German newspaper Die Welt, in an interview published on Sunday, that his goal had been to highlight the intensely competitive trading environment Germany faces. The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, issued a statement by Mr. Oettinger on Thursday seeking to resolve the matter and expressing remorse. Read more
