Chancellor Friedrich Merz laid out his complaints in a frank message to his hosts on a trip to Beijing that China had designed to showcase their relationship.

A lot is at stake as Germany is in search of global partners after the US has relinquished much of its longstanding role.There is no shortage of gloomy assessments of the global situation at the moment.

China is willing to work with Germany to give full play to dialogue mechanisms including government consultations, strengthen alignment of development strategies and policy communication, and expand and improve trade ties between the two nations, Li said when holding talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Beijing.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s trip will test his ability to address tensions between the countries, at a time of strain between Europe and Washington.

BEIJING - China and Germany want to deepen co-operation, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in Beijing on Wednesday (Feb 25), as Merz began a visit aimed at resetting ties against the backdrop of a widening trade imbalance.

Mr Merz will head to Beijing (as well as Hangzhou, a tech hotspot) acknowledging that China has taken its place among the world’s great powers. But his visit will be shaped by the darkening mood at home.

Friedrich Merz met China’s second-ranked official Li Qiang on Wednesday, kicking off a visit to Beijing in which the German chancellor is expected to confront mounting trade tensions between the EU and the world’s second-largest economy.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has told China's Premier that Berlin wants to deepen economic exchanges, but that cooperation must be fair. Merz met with Li Qiang on the opening day of his first visit to China as Chancellor.