German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday to deepen ties between two of the world's leading economies.
China will order up to 120 additional aircraft from European aviation giant Airbus, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, as he travelled to Beijing to deepen ties between his country and Asia's largest economy.
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"The Chinese leadership will be ordering a larger number of additional aircraft from Airbus. The total order will include up to 120 additional aircraft," Merz told reporters after his meeting with Xi, adding that it "demonstrates how worthwhile such trips can be".
As leader of the world's third-largest economy, Merz met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Wednesday amid rising economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
“The more turbulent and complex the world becomes, the more China and Germany should strengthen strategic communication and enhance strategic mutual trust,” Xi said during the bilateral meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
Merz replied that although some challenges remain, the two nations should “emphasise the things we have in common and face the challenges we stand before together.”
Prior to his departure to Beijing, Merz, who has repeatedly called for a stronger Europe in both military and economic terms, indicated he would press for a level playing field for German companies.
“Our message from a European point of view is the same: We want a balanced, reliable, regulated and fair partnership with China,” Merz said. “This is our offer. At the same time, it is what we also hope for and expect from the Chinese side".
The meeting comes as part of Merz's two-day visit to China. Besides discussing ties, the German chancellor also sought out China's assistance in bringing an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which passed its four-year mark on Tuesday.
The German chancellor stressed that Beijing cannot be left out of efforts to resolve global crises.
“The big global political problems can no longer be tackled today without involving Beijing," Merz said. "Beijing’s voice is heard, including in Moscow".
On Thursday Merz will travel to Hangzhou, a global tech hub, to visit Unitree Robotics, one of China's leading developers of humanoid robots.