German chancellor Merz to visit China for talks

2026-02-23 - 11:22

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to visit China for an official two-day trip beginning Wednesday, marking a new phase in Berlin–Beijing dialogue. The visit, confirmed by China’s Foreign Ministry, comes at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang and places Germany at the center of renewed Western diplomatic outreach to China. High-level diplomacy gains pace Merz will become the third prominent Western leader to travel to China this year, following recent visits by the prime ministers of Canada and the United Kingdom. Those trips, the first in several years, were viewed as efforts to stabilize ties with Beijing after a period of political strain and economic recalibration between China and Western capitals. Earlier this month, Merz held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the margins of the Munich Security Conference, a key global forum on transatlantic security and foreign policy. He also spoke by phone with President Xi Jinping in May, underscoring continued communication between Berlin and Beijing at the highest level. Economic stakes for Berlin and Beijing Germany and China established diplomatic relations in 1972, elevating them to an “all-round strategic partnership” in 2014. Today, China remains one of Germany’s most significant trading partners. According to official Chinese data, bilateral trade reached approximately $201.88 billion in 2024, with China ranking as Germany’s second-largest global trading partner. As Europe’s largest economy navigates slowing industrial growth and global supply chain shifts, engagement with China carries economic weight. For Türkiye, which maintains strong trade links with both Germany and China, developments in Berlin–Beijing relations are closely watched for their potential impact on European markets, manufacturing networks and broader Eurasian trade corridors.