German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has begun an official visit to China. He stated that Germany wants a deeper and fairer bilateral economic cooperation.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, marking his first official visit to China, a crucial commercial market for Germany. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen economic relations in the context of global tensions generated by the United States' tariff policy. Merz met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and is set to discuss with President Xi Jinping as well. The signed agreements cover areas such as climate change and food security, and Merz emphasized the importance of fairness in economic cooperation.

Li Qiang advocated for the defense of free trade and the multilateral order, highlighting the challenges posed by unilateralism. China is now Germany's largest trading partner, but Berlin considers Beijing a systemic rival, facing a record trade deficit. European companies complain about state subsidies and unfair competition from China. Merz will also address security issues, including pressures on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. His delegation includes 30 German companies, and the visit will include meetings with leaders in the technology and automotive industries.