Europe Embraces China: After Carney & Starmer, Now Merz Courts America's Top Rival

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz continued his first official visit to China with a symbolic tour of the Forbidden City before high-stakes trade talks in Beijing and Hangzhou. Meeting President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, Merz called for a balanced and fair partnership as Germany’s trade deficit with China quadruples. He raised concerns over manufacturing overcapacity and market barriers, while highlighting a potential order of up to 120 aircraft from Airbus. The visit also includes a stop at robotics firm Unitree Robotics, signalling Europe’s focus on technology and future industry cooperation.#FriedrichMerz #GermanyChina #XiJinping #TradeTalks #AirbusDeal #GlobalTrade #EUChina #Hangzhou #Robotics #Geopolitics