China has regained its position as Germany’s top trading partner, overtaking the United States in 2025.
Total trade between Germany and China reached €251bn, while trade with the US fell to €240bn.
Germany imported far more from China than it exported.
Imports were worth €170.6bn, compared with €81.3bn in German exports.
Trade with the US declined by about 5%, partly linked to tariff disputes.
Friedrich Merz will travel to Beijing for his first official visit as chancellor.
He is scheduled to meet Li Qiang and Xi Jinping for talks on trade, Ukraine and human rights.
A delegation of German business leaders will join the trip.
Germany’s car industry remains deeply tied to the Chinese market.
Manufacturers such as Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz depend heavily on Chinese sales and production.
The EU is trying to reduce reliance on China for critical materials and manufacturing.
However, Germany’s economic interests make a tougher trade stance difficult.
