Chancellor Friedrich Merz struck a positive tone at the end of his China trip. “I’m leaving this country with deep impressions. We have good cooperation with China,” Merz said. At the same time, the head of government pointed to problems China creates in competition with European companies. The high capacity of Chinese competitors is an issue, Merz said, “because those capacities go far beyond market demand.”
So despite high-level meetings, there were no concrete solutions. Instead, there was an announcement that Germany will continue to raise these issues repeatedly. One good channel for that would be German-Chinese government consultations, which could take place in China later this year – or at the latest in early 2027. Merz also recommended that Economy Minister Katharina Reiche travel to China soon.
But talking does not solve every problem. Take, for example, the breakneck speed at which China is advancing technologically – putting German companies under pressure. During his visit to the Chinese robotics manufacturer Unitree in Hangzhou, Merz saw firsthand how far development in China has already progressed. Unitree generated around €100 million in revenue in 2024. Its robots are intended to eventually help counter the country’s demographic gap and fully replace millions of human workers.
Merz saw significant potential for cooperation. But German industry remains cautious. “We will certainly contribute when it comes to manufacturing robots – we can automate that. We could also participate in part of the technology stack for robots,” Siemens CEO Roland Busch told Table.Briefings. But the right partners are needed –and, of course, sufficient capital, “because this market is developing incredibly fast, and it costs an enormous amount of money.” Still, he said, “there is a lot of homework left to do. Above all, we have to get faster.” Helene Bubrowski/Marcel Grzanna