German President Steinmeier begins five-day state visit to China as Berlin recalibrates ties
Trip coincides with Chancellor Merz's Indo-Pacific tour, signalling a dual strategy of partnership and risk reduction
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in China on Monday for a five-day state visit, the first since 2018, as Berlin attempts to balance economic partnership with a tougher European line on competition, human rights and geopolitical tensions. The trip overlaps with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's separate tour of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, in what analysts describe as a coordinated message to Beijing.