Friedrich Merz traveled to Beijing with 30 corporate chiefs and secured a major Airbus order – but also made clear statements about overcapacity and unfair competition.
The Airbus coup: 120 planes for China
The most important economic news of the trip: Chinese leadership will order up to 120 additional aircraft from European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
Signal effect: The major order secures European jobs and serves as a political token at a time when Beijing often uses its aviation orders as a diplomatic instrument.
Delegation: Merz is accompanied by a 30-person economic delegation, including the CEOs of VW, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Siemens Energy.
The demands
Merz spoke plainly at the Advisory Committee of German-Chinese Business:
Currency appreciation: "Stronger domestic demand would facilitate trade without barriers"
Reduce subsidies: "Reduce market-distorting subsidies"
Reduce overcapacity: "Market consolidation where necessary"
Market opening: German companies report "incomplete market opening"
The context: Germany's trade deficit with China reached a record €89 billion in 2025 – for the first time more than double the imports than exports.
The summit results at a glance
Area | Result / Agreement |
|---|---|
Aviation | Pre-contract for 120 Airbus aircraft. |
Politics | Resumption of government consultations planned for end of 2026. |
Climate & Agriculture | 5 MoUs signed (climate change, animal disease prevention). |
Technology | Visit to Mercedes autonomous vehicles and visit to Unitree Robotics (Hangzhou). |
Sources: Financial Times, The Business Times, Al Jazeera
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