German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany wants to deepen economic cooperation with China while ensuring fair competition and open communication, as he met Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the start of a visit to Beijing aimed at resetting ties.
Merz acknowledged “specific concerns” in the relationship, as German firms grapple with rising competition and a widening trade imbalance. China was Germany’s largest trading partner last year, but pressure is growing in Berlin for a more balanced partnership.
Merz:
We have very specific concerns regarding our cooperation, which we want to improve and make fair.
Li Qiang:
China and Germany, as two of the world’s largest economies and major countries with important influence, should strengthen our confidence in cooperation, jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, and strive to build a more just and fair global governance system.
Then, Merz said on X:
A fair, reliable partnership on equal footing: This offer I will take with me to China. There I will exchange views on the great opportunities that our cooperation opens up – in a constructive dialogue, especially on questions of our economic relationship.
Roughly 7,500 kilometers lie between Berlin and Beijing. A distance that we have been happy to bridge for many years. It is very important to me to maintain and deepen our diplomatic and economic relations. For that to succeed, we need open channels of communication.