Hans-Peter Friedrich, former vice president of German Bundestag and chairman of the German-Chinese parliamentary group Photo: Courtesy of Hans-Peter Friedrich

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is traveling to our most important trading partner, which is why this trip is of great significance, a fact underscored by the large delegation of business representatives, said Hans-Peter Friedrich, former vice president of the German Bundestag and chairman of the German-Chinese parliamentary group, in an exclusive interview with the Global Times, highlighting the significance of this visit, particularly in economic and trade areas.

Merz arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for an official visit to China through Thursday, marking his first visit to China since he took office, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"With his visit, the Chancellor acknowledges China's crucial role in Germany's prosperity and jobs, but he also recognizes China's strong interest in good and stable economic relations with Germany and Europe," said Friedrich, noting that the visit contributes to stabilizing these economic relations and encourages both German and Chinese companies to resolutely develop these relationships for mutual benefit.

The German leader's visit to China has a busy and fruitful schedule. According to the itinerary published on the German Chancellor's Office website, he will take part in the meeting of the Chinese-German Economic Advisory Committee. He will visit the Forbidden City, followed by a visit to the Mercedes-Benz Group. In addition to Beijing, the Chancellor will also travel to Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, where he will visit the robotics company Unitree as well as Siemens Energy.

Talking about the importance of the Chinese market to German businesses, Friedrich said that "the Chinese market is of great importance to every internationally active company, as well as to everyone in the global economy, and is always a key component of corporate strategic considerations."

In 2025, China-Germany trade saw steady growth, reaching over 1.51 trillion yuan ($220 billion), up 5.2 percent year-on-year, according to the latest data from China's General Administration of Customs. China's exports to Germany increased by 11.1 percent, underscoring the strong demand for Chinese goods in the German market.

Over more than 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has continued to deepen, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce said in response to a media inquiry regarding the high-level visit. 

Germany has consistently been China's largest trading partner and source of foreign investment in Europe. The two countries' industries are highly integrated, and the foundation for cooperation has been steadily strengthened, the spokesperson said, adding that in recent years, China-Germany trade has remained above $200 billion, while the stock of two-way investment has exceeded $65 billion, each accounting for nearly one-quarter of the overall total between China and the EU.

Moreover, the Chinese market is becoming a key destination for German goods, with a trend shifting from "made in Germany for China" to "made in China for China and for the world." Friedrich said that "while German companies previously exported to China, they are increasingly producing for the Chinese market, as well as for other markets, within China itself."

 This is partially due to concerns about limited market access in China through imports, but also because production in Germany has become too expensive, according to the former German government official.

Against the backdrop of the rising trend of unilateralism and protectionism, highlighted by the US tariffs, Friedrich said that another significant aspect of this visit is that "Germany and China can make it clear during the visit that they intend to uphold the rules-based trading system and see it as a common foundation for economic exchange." Stable global industrial and supply chains require agreement on common rules that also apply in difficult times, he noted.

"If Germany and China jointly base their discussions on this foundation, they will create the security that companies need for their international business relationships... And in doing so, they will send a clear signal against the uncertainty caused by unilateralism and unpredictability," said Friedrich.