German Chancellor Merz begins visit to China for talks on economy and war in Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is meeting with top Chinese leaders on Wednesday at the start of a two-day visit. On the agenda are fair economic conditions for German companies and China's assistance in ending the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. This is reported by UNN with reference to Associated Press.

Details

The German leader's plane landed in Beijing in the late morning of February 25. Before his departure, he emphasized the importance of placing Germany's China policy in a European context.

Merz's visit to China follows meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. After his visit to China, the German Chancellor is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump.

In his statements before his departure, he stressed that, despite all the differences between Europe and China, "today, major global political problems cannot be solved without Beijing's participation." He noted that cooperation is necessary to resolve crises and wars, including the Russian-Ukrainian one, and added that "Beijing's voice is heard, including in Moscow and Kyiv."

Additionally

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference stated that the door to dialogue on the Russian-Ukrainian war is open. He called on all parties to seize the opportunity for a comprehensive and lasting peace agreement.

Recall

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius criticized Donald Trump's approach to Russia's war against Ukraine. He stated that Trump's actions could have strengthened Putin's confidence and complicated negotiations.