https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has wrapped up his first official visit to China. From a major Airbus deal to conversations about Ukraine, Taiwan and Europe’s growing trade imbalance, here’s a look at the issues raised in Beijing. https://www.thelocal.de/20260226/what-germanys-china-trip-means-for-trade-ukraine-and-airbus Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:22:41 +0100 what-germanys-china-trip-means-for-trade-ukraine-and-airbus German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, hoping to bolster ties with his country's largest trade partner and high-tech rival as Europe's biggest economy struggles. https://www.thelocal.de/20260225/germanys-merz-arrives-in-china-for-talks-on-trade-and-security Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:24:20 +0100 germanys-merz-arrives-in-china-for-talks-on-trade-and-security German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit China next week for talks with President Xi Jinping centred on trade between the top EU economy and the Asian giant, Berlin said. https://www.thelocal.de/20260220/germanys-chancellor-merz-to-visit-china-next-week Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:34:18 +0100 germanys-chancellor-merz-to-visit-china-next-week China has reclaimed its title as Germany's top trading partner, dethroning the United States after President Donald Trump launched his tariff onslaught, official data showed Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20251120/china-jumps-us-to-return-as-germanys-top-trade-partner Thu, 20 Nov 2025 10:02:59 +0100 china-jumps-us-to-return-as-germanys-top-trade-partner Germany has blocked a complete Chinese takeover of a satellite startup on national security grounds, sources close to the matter told AFP Thursday, as Berlin takes an increasingly hard line against Beijing. https://www.thelocal.de/20230914/germany-blocks-full-chinese-takeover-of-satellite-startup Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:43:08 +0200 germany-blocks-full-chinese-takeover-of-satellite-startup Germany's tougher new approach to managing its relationship with China would increase "man-made risks" and "exacerbate divisions" in the world, Beijing said Friday. https://www.thelocal.de/20230715/beijing-says-germanys-new-china-strategy-to-result-in-risks Sat, 15 Jul 2023 11:43:28 +0200 beijing-says-germanys-new-china-strategy-to-result-in-risks Germany published a new policy to contend with a more "assertive" China Thursday, after months of fractious debate on an effective strategy toward Berlin's top trade partner. https://www.thelocal.de/20230713/germany-unveils-new-approach-to-more-assertive-china Thu, 13 Jul 2023 17:13:28 +0200 germany-unveils-new-approach-to-more-assertive-china Duisburg once touted itself as Germany's "China city" due to strong links to the Asian giant, but it is now desperately seeking an image makeover as geopolitical tensions upend bilateral ties. https://www.thelocal.de/20230706/why-germanys-duisberg-is-seeking-an-image-makeover Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:07:13 +0200 why-germanys-duisberg-is-seeking-an-image-makeover Germany on Wednesday called China a "partner, competitor and systemic rival" in its first national security strategy, accusing Beijing of repeatedly acting against the European giant's interests in a bid to reshape the global order. https://www.thelocal.de/20230614/germany-takes-aim-at-china-in-first-national-security-strategy Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:19:55 +0200 germany-takes-aim-at-china-in-first-national-security-strategy The German government said Wednesday that it would allow a Chinese firm to buy a stake in a Hamburg port, after the terminal was classed as critical infrastructure. https://www.thelocal.de/20230511/germany-says-controversial-chinese-stake-in-hamburg-port-to-go-ahead Thu, 11 May 2023 11:15:44 +0200 germany-says-controversial-chinese-stake-in-hamburg-port-to-go-ahead China and Germany traded barbs Tuesday over Ukraine, with Beijing warning the EU against sanctions targeting its companies while Berlin said "neutrality" in the conflict meant taking Russia's side. https://www.thelocal.de/20230509/germany-and-china-clash-over-ukraine Tue, 09 May 2023 19:06:26 +0200 germany-and-china-clash-over-ukraine German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged Beijing Friday to ask "the Russian aggressor to stop the war" in Ukraine, saying "no other country has more influence on Russia than China". https://www.thelocal.de/20230414/germany-foreign-minister-urges-china-to-tell-russia-to-stop-war Fri, 14 Apr 2023 12:23:04 +0200 germany-foreign-minister-urges-china-to-tell-russia-to-stop-war Germany is reassessing whether to allow a Chinese firm to buy a stake in a Hamburg port, the economy ministry said Wednesday, after the terminal was classed as critical infrastructure. https://www.thelocal.de/20230412/will-germany-stop-chinese-purchase-in-controversial-hamburg-port Wed, 12 Apr 2023 17:11:10 +0200 will-germany-stop-chinese-purchase-in-controversial-hamburg-port German Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger will travel to Taiwan next week, Berlin said Friday, as the first cabinet member to visit in 26 years - a move set to spark tensions with China. https://www.thelocal.de/20230317/first-german-minister-to-visit-taiwan-in-26-years Fri, 17 Mar 2023 14:06:59 +0100 first-german-minister-to-visit-taiwan-in-26-years China was Germany's biggest trading partner in 2022 for the seventh year in a row, figures published Thursday showed, as policymakers worry about economic over-reliance on Beijing. https://www.thelocal.de/20230216/why-china-remains-germanys-largest-trade-partner Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:11:39 +0100 why-china-remains-germanys-largest-trade-partner Germany currently sees no need to impose routine tests on arrivals from China, but is seeking a coordinated system to monitor variants across European airports, said health minister Karl Lauterbach on Friday. https://www.thelocal.de/20221230/germany-urges-eu-covid-variant-checks-for-china-arrivals Fri, 30 Dec 2022 17:55:03 +0100 germany-urges-eu-covid-variant-checks-for-china-arrivals After years of following a strict 'no Covid' policy, China is in the grip of a massive - and deadly - Covid wave. Now German politicians are calling for a ban on travel between the two countries. Will it happen? https://www.thelocal.de/20221223/will-germany-block-travel-from-china-amid-soaring-covid-infections Fri, 23 Dec 2022 14:18:41 +0100 will-germany-block-travel-from-china-amid-soaring-covid-infections China has set up at least two "police stations" in Germany, authorities have confirmed, sparking fresh concern about the overseas centres that critics say are used to harass dissidents. https://www.thelocal.de/20221209/two-chinese-police-stations-uncovered-in-germany Fri, 09 Dec 2022 15:03:17 +0100 two-chinese-police-stations-uncovered-in-germany Germany will limit guarantees for companies doing business in China as it looks to reduce its dependence on Beijing, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20221123/germany-to-cap-investment-guarantees-for-china Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:45:52 +0100 germany-to-cap-investment-guarantees-for-china German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday defended a controversial trip to China as "worth it" due to an agreement to oppose the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine. https://www.thelocal.de/20221105/scholz-defends-china-trip-with-accord-on-anti-nuke-message Sat, 05 Nov 2022 18:08:47 +0100 scholz-defends-china-trip-with-accord-on-anti-nuke-message