Deep trade ties bind Asia and Europe’s biggest economies, with rapid Chinese expansion and demand for Germany’s cars and machinery fueling its own growth over the past two decades. China became Germany’s single biggest trade partner in 2016.
Mr Scholz, who will meet with both Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Mr Xi, will press China to open up its markets, raise human rights concerns and discuss “autocratic” tendencies, a German government spokesman said last week. Yet some coalition members, European officials and rights activists worry there are early signs Mr Scholz, who has warned against decoupling, will not mark a decisive break with what they view as Dr Merkel’s mercantilist approach towards China.
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