FOREIGN RELATIONS | 15.07.2010
Merkel arrives in China on next stop of German economic tour
After spending two days in Russia overseeing major business deals between Russia and Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in China on her next stop of a five day trip abroad. Despite pledging to visit China every year during her time in office, Merkel wasn't able to make the trip in 2009. This year's trip couldn't come at a better time.
"The relations between China and Germany haven't been that stable in the last two years," said Adrienne Woltersdorf, head of Deutsche Welle's Chinese service.
"I think Angela Merkel is mainly there to stress the economic aspect of the two countries relations, and also to make sure relations get better after she leaves the country," she adds.
Woltersdorf mentioned that deals involving Daimler-Benz are said to be in the mix, as well as a German tech company looking to work together with a Chinese company to produce a GPS system for monitoring CO2 concentration in the atmosphere.
While business deals will likely remain in focus during Merkel's talks with Chinese leaders, the environment, the Korean peninsula, Iran and Afghanistan are also said to be on Merkel's agenda.
Merkel is expected to be officially welcomed with military honors by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao early on Friday.
China is Germany's largest trade partner in Asia, and Germany is the biggest European trade partner for China. Bilateral trade was valued at 82 billion euros ($105.73 billion) last year, accounting for more than a quarter of the total trade between China and EU nations, according to Chinese statistics.
Author: Matt Zuvela (dpa, AFP)
Editor: Andreas Illmer
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