Select Language:
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has arrived in Beijing for a two-day visit, marking his first trip to China as the head of the German government. He also becomes the first foreign leader to visit the country in the Year of the Horse.
During his stay, Merz will head a high-level economic and trade delegation through tomorrow, which includes approximately 30 executives from leading German companies across sectors such as automotive, chemicals, biopharmaceuticals, mechanical manufacturing, and circular economy, according to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce.
The spokesperson highlighted that since establishing diplomatic relations over half a century ago, China and Germany have continuously strengthened their economic and trade connections. Germany remains China’s top trading partner and a key source of foreign investment in Europe.
The close integration of industries between the two nations has solidified the foundation of their cooperation. Over recent years, bilateral trade has consistently exceeded $200 billion, and their mutual investment stock has surpassed $65 billion—making up nearly a quarter of China’s trade and investment with the European Union.
This year also marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for social and economic development. The country welcomes German companies to seize new opportunities arising from its high-level opening-up policies. There’s an emphasis on deepening cooperation in traditional sectors while exploring potential partnerships in emerging fields such as clean energy, intelligent technology, biotechnology, and industrial digitalization. The goal is to turn cooperation prospects into tangible outcomes.
As the world’s second and third largest economies, fostering strong China-Germany relations aligns with the interests of both nations and meets international expectations, said a spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
China aims to use this visit to deepen mutual understanding and trust, enhance practical collaboration with Germany, and uphold principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit. Strengthening the partnership is seen as vital for promoting sustainable development in China-Germany relations and contributing more significantly to global peace and prosperity.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
