Merz to make first visit to China as German chancellor
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to China next week for talks on political and economic ties, as well as security issues, the government confirmed on Friday.
It will be his first visit to the country since taking office.
Merz is to be received with military honours on Wednesday by Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, followed by a joint lunch. In the afternoon, he is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with President Xi Jinping.
The chancellor will address “the whole range of topics” during his two days in China, deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille said in Berlin.
“This naturally includes the human rights situation,” he said.
Trade tensions between Berlin and Beijing are simmering, particularly over rare earths – critical raw materials used in products such as mobile phones and electric motors.
German and European manufacturers have reported shortages of these materials linked to restrictive Chinese trade policies. Germany’s export industry has voiced criticism about what it describes as unfair competition on world markets by subsidized Chinese firms, calling for a level playing field for foreign companies, including in public procurement.
Merz is to be accompanied by a business delegation and is due to also attend a meeting of the German-Chinese Economic Advisory Committee. According to reports, he also plans to visit the Forbidden City and the Mercedes-Benz Group in Beijing.
On Thursday, Merz is scheduled to meet Wang Hao, the party secretary of Zhejiang province, in Hangzhou. The German government said visits to the robotics company Unitree and Siemens Energy are also planned.
