German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to China on Saturday for a three-day visit that will include talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, at a time when both economic giants are struggling.
Prime Minister Spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit announced at a press conference on Monday that Scholz will meet with Xi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on April 16, the end of his tour.
He is scheduled to visit central Chongqing on Sunday before heading to Shanghai on Monday.
Along the way, Scholz will meet with German business executives and give a lecture at a university in Shanghai.
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He will be accompanied by three ministers and a German industry delegation.
This is Scholz's second visit to China since taking office as prime minister, with the first scheduled to take place in November 2022.
The trip took place under strict restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, with visits limited to one day.
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The 2022 visit also comes against the backdrop of intense debate over the need to reduce Germany's lopsided dependence on China, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and growing concerns about geopolitical risks.
Germany is also carefully nurturing its ties with Southeast Asian countries, although Scholz insists there will be no “decoupling” with its biggest trading partner.
In talks with Mr. Xi, who has maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, not only trade issues but also the war in Ukraine will be on the agenda.
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“I think China has influence over Russia, and our hope is to enable China to use that influence,” Hebestright said.
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