Overview
- Germany’s foreign minister is scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Beijing on 8–9 December before continuing to Guangzhou.
- Wadephul says he will press concerns over Chinese export controls on rare earths and market overcapacity in electric vehicles and steel that German companies say are hurting competitiveness.
- He plans to urge Beijing to use its influence on Moscow to move Russia toward serious negotiations that respect Ukraine’s sovereignty.
- Regional security will be on the agenda as Wadephul raises tensions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, underscoring China’s responsibilities as a UN Security Council member.
- The trip revives a visit scrapped in October after disputes over the program and frictions over Taiwan remarks, with German industry seeking greater supply reliability as DIHK reports one in ten firms are affected.