New German chancellor set for first China visit later this year, source says

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz walks on the day of the Bundestag 2025 to 2029 budget session in Berlin, Germany, July 8, 2025. REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen

FRANKFURT - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to make his first visit to China towards the end of this year with a delegation of top business executives, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The visit from the head of Europes biggest economy and one of Chinas largest trading partners would be symbolically important in underpinning relations between the two, amid friction with the United States over trade tariffs.

Chinese companies hope to invest more in Germany and Merzs visit could be used to repair relations after earlier tensions with Berlin, the person, who has knowledge of the preparations, told Reuters.

The trip, which could come as soon as October, has yet to be finalised and details could change.

A spokesperson for the German chancellery declined to comment. The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

It follows a visit to Berlin earlier this month by Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, on a European tour seeking to lay the groundwork for a summit between European Union and Chinese leaders later this month.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the two foreign ministers had discussed Russias invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan and the crisis in the Middle East.

China and Germany are closely interwoven, not least by German carmakers dependence on China, the worlds biggest auto market, in making and buying