The news of the Iranian attack on Israel reached Chancellor Scholz in the air - halfway from Berlin to Chongqing. The impact on his trip to China is still unclear.
The Chancellor is accompanied by a dozen top managers. These include the CEOs of the car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and BMW as well as the chemical company BASF. Volkswagen, the largest European car company, is not taking part this time. The main topics are likely to include economic cooperation, efforts to end Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, tensions between China and Taiwan and climate protection. It is the Chancellor's second visit to China since taking office in December 2021. His inaugural visit in November 2022 was only a day trip due to the ongoing corona pandemic. This time he is taking three days - more than ever before for a single country on a trip. The onward journey to Shanghai is planned for Monday, and the Chancellor wants to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang in Beijing on Tuesday.