Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to unveil the country's economic targets and policies for the upcoming year at a major policy meeting.

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz travelled to Beijing with a delicate brief: vouch for a shrinking slice of big German firms still bullish on China, while defending the growing number being squeezed. On day one of his first official visit, Merz trod the line carefully – voicing openness to resetting beleaguered bilateral ties, even while gently nudging his hosts on bugbears including subsidies, currency devaluation and Russia. A day of meetings with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, President Xi...

German Chancellor Merz met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, but reports suggest he struggled to secure significant agreements on critical issues for German industry.

The German Chancellor expressed a desire for more equitable trade relations with China, while Chinese Premier Li Qiang warned against the dangers of unilateralism and protectionism in trade.

Premier Li Qiang has called for deeper technological cooperation with Germany and highlighted opportunities under China’s latest five-year plan – a move that could help ease tensions with the EU over the war in Ukraine and years of trade disputes. “We support bilateral flows of innovation resources between enterprises and research institutions in both countries,” Li told a symposium attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and more than 60 business representatives from both sides. “We can...