German President Steinmeier to visit China amid deepening trade tensions

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is preparing to travel to China within the coming weeks, making it the first official visit to the country by a German head of state since 2018. The trip is being planned despite a notable souring in relations between Berlin and Beijing over trade.

Steinmeier, a former foreign minister, is serving his final years as president before his decade-long tenure concludes in March 2027. His visit is expected to take place against a backdrop of sharpening European concern over Chinese commercial practices.

Trade friction between China and the West has intensified in recent weeks after Beijing rejected a European Union request for voluntary limits on hybrid car exports. Brussels is now weighing alternative measures, including import caps and tariff-rate quotas, as Chinese carmakers steadily increase their foothold in European automotive markets.

The timing of Steinmeier's planned visit places Germany in a delicate diplomatic position, balancing longstanding economic ties with China against growing pressure across Europe for a tougher trade stance.