China seen as ideal partner for Germany

Business community, other observers enthusiastic about more cooperation

As German Chancellor Friedrich Merz concluded his visit to China — his first since taking office in May — and headed home with a delegation of about 30 leading entrepreneurs, the visit as well as the agreements reached between Beijing and Berlin have aroused lively discussions among scholars, entrepreneurs and other observers in Germany.

The size and composition of the large-scale delegation clearly demonstrated "the strong expectation within Germany's business community to cooperate with China", said Michael Borchmann, former director-general for international affairs of the German state of Hessen. "In today's turbulent world, China is an ideal partner for Germany. Cooperation between the two nations is likely to grow even closer, as we need each other."

Among the agreements that the two sides achieved, the joint statement on the continuation of a bilateral dialogue on green transformation and climate change has brought the most attention.