German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks at the airport on February 24, 2026 before setting off his inaugural trip to China Photo: German government website
“China has just celebrated the Chinese New Year and is entering the Year of the Horse. I extend my warm congratulations to the country on this occasion,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday just before embarking the airplane heading to Beijing.
Merz said in an address at the airport that this visit marks not only a new beginning in the calendar sense, it’s also the first trip to China that he is undertaking as German Chancellor, according to a transcript from the German government’s website. He also expressed his gratitude for the Chinese leader in advance for the friendly gesture of receiving him in China on this special date.
China has risen into the ranks of the major powers. Our China policy must take this into account. No one can bypass China anymore, Merz said, according to the transcript.
The major global political issues of our time can no longer be addressed without involving Beijing. This applies regardless of the fundamental systemic differences between China and Germany, he said, noting that global challenges such as combating climate change or promoting a fair world trade order can only be tackled together.
China's Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that Merz is set to pay an official visit to China from February 25 to 26. According to the German government’s website, Merz is expected to visit Beijing and Hangzhou.
He will be accompanied by a 30-person delegation during his trip to China, where strategic action is required there for Germany, according to German news outlet taz.de.
In the address at the airport, Merz explained the five principles guiding this trip, including a smart China policy, pursuing a policy of “de-risking,” competition stimulating business, China has risen into the ranks of the major powers and Germany embeds its China policy within EU framework.
In ending his speech, Merz said “in China, it is said: a horse does not display its strength alone, but only by pulling the wagon together with others. I find this to be a fitting image at the beginning of my journey.”
Merz said in address that this is his first visit to China since taking office as Germany’s chancellor and that it carries great significance, the China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Wednesday.
He emphasized that China and Germany have engaged in active cooperation for decades, and that Germany’s interactions with China have had a profound impact. The high-level German business delegation accompanying him underscores the immense potential for bilateral cooperation, reflecting broad consensus within Germany’s business community. Germany is willing to develop a “balanced, reliable, and fair” partnership with China, CCTV report said.
Merz also pointed out that the idea of “decoupling” from China is mistaken and would only harm Germany itself, China has become a major global power, and no one can ignore it. Addressing global challenges cannot be done without China’s participation, and Germany and China should work together to tackle these challenges jointly, the report said.
Merz has prepared meticulously for the trip, receiving briefings from experts last week and coordinating closely with the EU, according to the German newspaper Die Tageszeitung.
German media DW described this visit as a sign of new world order, saying that the German chancellor is seeking partners around the world after the US has partially stepped back from its former role.
“It is therefore no coincidence that French President Macron, British Prime Minister Starmer, and I are visiting China one after another within just a few weeks,” Merz said.
China is also a decisive factor for order, peace, and security in the Pacific. With regard to Taiwan, Germany remains committed to its one-China policy. However, we determine the precise shape of this policy ourselves, he noted.
At the opening of the recent Munich Security Conference in earlier February, Merz also explicitly mentioned China, according to media reports.
"China has the ambition to shape global affairs, laying the foundations for this over many years with strategic patience. In the foreseeable future, Beijing could draw level with the US in terms of military might. China is systematically exploiting the dependencies of others, reinterpreting the international order on its own terms," he said, according to DW report.
Merz has previously stated publicly that while China brings competitive pressure, it also sets an example for Europe. During private exchanges at the MSC, I also sensed that Europe is actively studying China’s capacity to formulate and implement its five-year plans, its policy continuity and strategic execution, as well as its dual-driven model of government and market coordination, seeking to draw on China’s original experience, Wang Yiwei, director of the Center for European Union Studies at Renmin University of China and an attendee at this year’s MSC in Munich, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
This marks a significant shift in Europe’s overall approach toward China – from simple complaints to pragmatic learning, Wang noted.
“From this perspective, Merz’s visit can, to some extent, also be seen as a trip to learn from China, in search of institutional approaches and pathways that could enhance the competitiveness of Germany and Europe,” he said.