China has overtaken the United States as Germany’s largest trading partner.
Total trade between Germany and China reached €251bn in 2025, rising 2.2% from the previous year.
Germany imported €170.6bn in goods from China and exported €81.3bn.
Trade with the United States fell to €240bn, partly affected by tariffs introduced by Donald Trump.
Merz will visit Beijing this week for talks with Li Qiang and Xi Jinping.
Discussions will cover trade, human rights and the war in Ukraine.
A large German business delegation will accompany him.
Germany’s car industry remains deeply tied to the Chinese market.
Companies such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen depend heavily on Chinese sales and production.
The European Union is trying to reduce reliance on China for critical materials and electric vehicles.
However, Germany’s economic interests make its approach more cautious.
The visit is meant to signal continued dialogue despite growing trade tensions.
