Overview
- Wadephul began talks in Beijing by telling Commerce Minister Wang Wentao that Germany backs free trade and the removal of barriers.
- He is scheduled to meet Vice President Han Zheng, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and the Communist Party’s international relations chief, and he will also visit Guangzhou on Tuesday.
- Berlin is pressing for relief from Chinese export restrictions on rare earths and semiconductors viewed as vital to German industry.
- The agenda includes European security priorities such as Russia’s war in Ukraine and tensions in the South China Sea.
- The visit follows an October postponement and comes as the EU advances tougher trade tools and Germany creates an expert panel on security-relevant trade.