German FM: Direct and in‑depth discussion with China indispensable

Direct and in‑depth discussion with China is indispensable, said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in a statement on Sunday ahead of a visit to China.

Wadephul is visiting China from Monday to Tuesday at the invitation of Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister.

In the statement, Wadephul said China is now a key player on the international stage and its unparalleled economic dynamism has made it Germany's most important trading partner.

Noting that close economic relations have always been fundamentally important, he said Germany and China still have a lot to offer one another.

German products are in demand in China, while China's market and innovative power are attractive to many German businesses, Wadephul noted.

He expressed willingness to further cooperate with China, and said European countries must continually define areas where cooperation is feasible, as well as areas where they will increase investment in their own digital innovative power and sovereignty.

Wadephul added that Germany and China share an interest in ensuring stable and dependable global trade relations, as such relations provide businesses worldwide with the certainty needed for forward planning.

"We want to cooperate with China. And we must and will bolster our own innovative power and competitiveness, systematically diversify supply chains, and further expand our network of global partnerships in the area of business and trade as elsewhere," he said. 

(Cover: Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, held talks with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Beijing on December 8, 2025. /VCG)