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China’s domestic slowdown amid a volatile global outlook offers a strategic opening for Berlin to rebalance relations with Beijing
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GERMAN Chancellor Friedrich Merz entered office in 2025 with a blunt warning: Bilateral ties with China are on an unsustainable path. His trip last week to Beijing and Hangzhou, China’s tech hub, sought a cautious correction.
While much attention focuses on US-China relations ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned Beijing trip this April, Berlin-Beijing ties are systemically important too. Germany reclaimed its status as China’s largest trading partner in 2025.
During the 2025 election campaign, Merz built a reputation as a China hawk. Before becoming chancellor, he cautioned German firms against making bigger investments in the world’s second-largest economy. He warned if they “endanger the entire company group”, they should expect no economic help from the state.
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MDDI (P) 046/10/2024. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.
