Chinese premier to visit Germany, Belgium as EU debates trade stance on China

29 articles·14 sources·updated about 1 hour ago·View in graph

politics china united states of america germany

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will visit Germany and Belgium from May 31 to June 2 to deepen relations with the European Union amid global uncertainty, according to China’s state newswire Xinhua .

The trip follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Europe, where he criticized German trade policies, declined to reaffirm NATO’s Article 5 commitment, and was seen pushing aside Montenegro’s prime minister ahead of a photo opportunity.

Meanwhile, Europe faces economic pressure from Chinese trade practices. In the first half of 2026, China’s trade surplus in goods with the EU reached a record high, though 40 percent of China-EU trade involves European companies operating in China, with profits flowing back to Europe .

European leaders have signaled mixed approaches to China. In early 2026, the premiers of the UK, Germany, France, and Spain visited China, but German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron later criticized China at Davos and Munich, aligning with U.S. positions . U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned at the 2026 Munich Security Conference that Europe and America must unite to address Western challenges, threatening unilateral U.S. action if Europe failed to comply.

The European Commission is attempting to forge a common stance on China, with discussions on emergency trade measures and new industrial strategies to counter Chinese competition in sectors like car manufacturing and chemicals . Germany, at the center of the economic strain, faces mounting job losses and political divisions ahead of regional elections in September.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde highlighted Europe’s vulnerabilities in a speech in Geneva, stating that the post-war growth model—reliant on a stable, rules-based global order and U.S. security guarantees—is weakening. She called for greater defense integration and innovation to avoid missing the next digital revolution .

The European Parliament’s political center is also shifting, with the European People’s Party increasingly willing to form transactional alliances with far-right groups, altering traditional parliamentary dynamics .

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