Germany’s Klingbeil navigates trade and tensions in landmark China visit

A delicate dance of diplomacy and dollars unfolds as Germany’s top official confronts China’s policies. Can trade outweigh tensions?

, and Administrator

2025 November 19 . 9:20 PM

1 min read

It is a conference, there is a woman standing in front of a table and speaking something, beside... — It is a conference, there is a woman standing in front of a table and speaking something, beside her there are three men sitting in front of another table and on the table there are some glasses, books and miles and also the name cards of the people who are sitting, in front of the table there are few people and they are busy with some work, in the background there is a curtain, beside the curtain there is a wall.

Germany’s Klingbeil navigates trade and tensions in landmark China visit

Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has concluded a high-profile visit to China. This marks the first senior German official trip since the cancellation of the foreign minister’s planned visit earlier this year. The journey covered economic talks, cultural exchanges, and tense political discussions.

Klingbeil adopted different roles during his stay, acting as finance minister, SPD party leader, and vice chancellor on separate days. His agenda included meetings with China’s top party and state leaders, where he raised difficult topics such as AI regulation, Germany’s foreign policy stance, and China’s military activity near Taiwan.

The trip produced few concrete results, with China refusing to adjust its subsidy policies or rein in support for Russia. Germany’s approach remains a balancing act—publicly criticising China’s foreign policy while maintaining economic ties. The visit underscored both countries’ reliance on trade and rare earth exports, despite political tensions.