The normal and unusual aspects of German vice chancellor’s China visit: Global Times editorial

China Germany Photo:VCG

The fourth China-Germany High-Level Financial Dialogue is held in Beijing on Monday, co-chaired by Vice Premier of the State Council and the Chinese lead person of the Dialogue He Lifeng and Germany’s Vice Chancellor, Finance Minister, Lars Klingbeil. Klingbeil is the first representative from the current German coalition government to visit China. His trip underscores Berlin’s continued commitment to maintaining established channels of communication. The visit has also drawn considerable international attention. 

As the world’s second- and third-largest economies, China and Germany are so deeply interconnected that maintaining smooth channels of dialogue is essential – not only for their own interests, but also for the stability of global supply chains and the recovery of the world economy. 

The German vice chancellor’s visit to China is both normal and unusual. It is normal in the sense that, under the strategic guidance of both countries’ leaders, China and Germany have becoming a model of mutual respect and win-win cooperation between countries with different civilizations, systems and development paths. 

Shortly after Germany’s new government took office, President Xi Jinping had a phone call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the latter’s request, during which Berlin made clear its desire to enhance exchanges and cooperation with China. During her 16 years in office, former chancellor Angela Merkel visited China 12 times, making her one of the Western leaders who traveled to China most frequently. Klingbeil’s visit is thus very much in line with the tradition of frequent high-level contact between the two sides. Just this month, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul at the request of the German side, and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Tuesday held a video call with German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche at the latter’s request. 

Some German media, however, have portrayed this visit as unusual, suggesting that the German vice chancellor heads to China “in difficult times.” The so-called “difficult times” likely refer to the recent rhetoric by certain German politicians who label China and Germany “systemic rivals,” signal for a “tougher stance” on Chinese tech companies, and promote plans to “reduce dependence on China.” 

Wadephul’s postponement of his visit to China at the end of October further fueled speculation. Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and mounting pressure from both sides of the Atlantic to align on China policy, Klingbeil’s visit largely represents the rational and pragmatic voices in Germany opposing the “decoupling” narrative. 

It is also worth noting that stories in Germany about its widening trade deficit with China, alleged “unfair competition,” or “threats” to supply-chain security have emerged precisely at a time when Germany’s own economic and social challenges are coming to the fore. This is no coincidence. In the eyes of some Germany politicians, China has increasingly been cast as a convenient scapegoat to distract the public and shift blame. However, such narratives are not only unfounded and misleading, but they also ignore the long-standing reality of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Germany.

The resilience of China-Germany relations is rooted in the two countries’ deep economic ties. China has been Germany’s largest trading partner for many consecutive years. In the first eight months of 2025, bilateral goods trade reached 163.4 billion euros ($189.39), once again surpassing the volume of US-Germany trade. German investment in China has not declined – on the contrary, it has grown. In the first half of 2024, Germany’s direct investment in China had already exceeded 7.3 billion euros, surpassing the full-year total of 6.5 billion euros in 2023. Industry giants such as Volkswagen and BASF are anchoring their medium- and long-term development strategies even more firmly in the Chinese market.

During his trip, Klingbeil will also travel to Shanghai to visit Siemens Healthineers’ manufacturing facilities and R&D center. Siemens, a foreign company that has cultivated the Chinese market for more than 30 years, has been deeply engaged in China’s modernization, witnessing China’s reform and opening-up while benefiting from the vast opportunities it has created. This speaks volumes about the high degree of complementarity and shared interests between the Chinese and German industrial sectors. 

It has been 10 years since the first China-Germany High-Level Financial Dialogue was held, which is one among more than 80 dialogue mechanisms between the two countries. Last year marked the beginning of the second decade of the China-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership. The fact that cooperation between the two countries is often measured in decades underscores that their mutual “interdependence” has stood the test of time. This ever-deepening interdependence is a source of strength that enables both countries to thrive. 

The Joint Statement of the 4th China-Germany High-Level Financial Dialogue, released on November 17, included 27 points of consensus, ranging from expanding two-way market access to improving international economic governance and supporting the multilateral trading system. The dialogue sent a clear signal: at a time of fragile global recovery, rising protectionism and increasing risks of supply-chain fragmentation, China and Germany remain committed to managing differences and broadening cooperation with rationality and a sense of responsibility. By strengthening and opening up their industrial and supply chains, they are offering the world economy a rare and valuable measure of certainty.

“We should not talk about China, but talk with China.” “There are many global problems that we can only solve together with China.” Klingbeil’s remarks before his trip highlights a fundamental reality in the development of China-Germany relations: cooperation between the two countries is a practical necessity, and mutual respect is the essential foundation. 

We welcome the German vice chancellor’s friendly gesture from the new German government, and we also hope he brings back to Germany and Europe the credible prospects of sustained, mutually beneficial China-Germany and China-EU cooperation.