Key facts
- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier plans to visit China in the coming weeks.
- This would be Steinmeier's first official visit to China since 2018.
- Steinmeier's current presidential term ends in March 2027.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to visit Japan and South Korea before the end of October.
- A previous trip by Foreign Minister Wadephul to Japan involved sharp criticism of China.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is reportedly planning an official visit to China in the coming weeks, a trip that comes amid increasing trade tensions between Germany and China. This would be Steinmeier's first visit to China since 2018, and his current term as president concludes in March 2027.
The planned visit by Steinmeier coincides with trips to Japan and South Korea by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, scheduled before the end of October. Relations between Germany and China have reportedly soured, with a previous diplomatic misstep by Foreign Minister Wadephul during a visit to Japan involving sharp criticism of China, which may have closed doors in Beijing for the foreseeable future.