Overview
- Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil met for hours with Vice-Premier He Lifeng in Beijing during the German‑Chinese finance dialogue, with China signaling interest in steadier economic engagement.
- Klingbeil said Beijing gave clear pledges of reliable access to rare earths and other critical inputs, while he pressed for fairer market conditions and raised concerns over industrial overcapacity.
- He emphasized that Germany will still cut exposure by diversifying suppliers, citing partners such as Canada, and he floated potential EU measures to shield markets if needed.
- The minister told Chinese counterparts that threats toward Taiwan are a serious concern and warned a military escalation would fundamentally alter Europe’s view of China.
- Berlin’s delegation used special ‘anti‑spy’ phones and kept personal devices locked away, as the trip drew criticism at home over diplomatic optics following the foreign minister’s canceled visit.