German Chancellor Merz States Desire to Avoid Trade War with China Despite Preparing Trade Tools

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated that while Berlin is developing new trade instruments to address concerns regarding subsidies and overcapacity from Beijing, the intention is to avoid initiating a trade war.

Assembled News DeskOctober 22, 20261 min read

AI illustration based on reference photographs; not an event photograph. An editorial illustration showing an open, conceptual toolbox near a balanced scale, symbolizing the preparation for trade measures while aiming to avoid conflict. — AI-generated illustration

According to the South China Morning Post, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated on Wednesday that the objective of Berlin is to establish a "new balance in trade" with Beijing, rather than engaging in a trade war. Merz addressed an audience at the Berlin Global Dialogue annual summit, noting that although Germany is preparing trade tools, the preference is not to utilize them. He mentioned that Germany is currently opening and displaying its "toolbox" of instruments, but emphasized that the intention is not to employ these tools.

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