Foreign trade • Table.Briefings

Katherina Reiche, Bundesministerin für Wirtschaft und Energie, CDU, Pressestatement zur aktuellen Lage, DEU, Berlin, 30.03.2026

April 22nd, 2026

Economy ministry: Katherina Reiche plans China visit

Katherina Reiche is planning her first trip to China as Germany’s economy minister. The visit would come at a sensitive moment.

By Manuel Liu

A large number of Volkswagen pure electric vehicles are arranged in an orderly manner waiting to be shipped overseas in Longtan Port Area, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China on December 4, 2025.

Talk of the Town | Economy

April 16th, 2026

GDP growth: What clouds the upbeat numbers

China’s economy grew more strongly than expected in the first quarter despite the fallout from the Iran war. But weaker export and consumption data for March show that headwinds are building.

By Jörn Petring and Manuel Liu

News | Middle class

April 14th, 2026

BVMW Future Day: GIZ’s Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel calls for closer international cooperation

The BVMW Future Day will take place in Berlin on Wednesday. Ahead of the event, the chair of the management board of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel, called for stronger international cooperation.

By David Renke

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is projected on a screen in a live broadcast of his speech during the China Development Forum in Beijing

Feature | Global economy

March 23rd, 2026

China Development Forum: How Beijing is turning its Five-Year Plan into a blueprint for the global economy

Beijing wants to position itself as a stable trading partner. The message: CEOs can take inspiration from the 15th Five-Year Plan.

By Manuel Liu

Feature | Middle East conflict

March 20th, 2026

War with Iran: How the escalation in the Middle East is threatening Nigeria’s fragile economic recovery

The escalation in the Middle East is posing economic challenges for Nigeria. Rising import prices and capital flight are threatening the country’s hard-won economic recovery.

By Silas Jonathan

Talk of the Town | Diplomacy

February 23rd, 2026

German government: New action plan against dependencies on China

Chancellor Merz faces a balancing act when dealing with China. He wants to shore up the German economy at its weak points. But German companies expect his support for their growing engagement.

By Angela Köckritz

News | Global Gateway

February 13th, 2026

Global Gateway: German industry reacts cautiously to new coordination office

The European Commission has launched a new Global Gateway contact point to facilitate access for businesses. Company representatives have reacted with cautious optimism.

By Arne Schütte

Feature | East Africa

January 30th, 2026

East Africa: How Tanzania is competing with Kenya

After years as a pioneer in East Africa, Kenya is increasingly facing competition from its neighbor Tanzania. Foreign direct investment and German business activity have already picked up in Tanzania, while Kenya is grappling with rising national debt.

By Arne Schütte

Feature | Foreign trade

January 23rd, 2026

SMEs: How far does Franco-German friendship extend in Africa?

This week is all about Franco-German friendship, as Thursday marked the 63rd anniversary of the Élysée Treaty. With regard to Africa, the key question is how sustainable this relationship remains amid an ongoing realignment.

By David Renke and Lucia Weiß

Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) in Kapstadt, Südafrika.

Feature | Economy

January 9th, 2026

Outlook: Which economic dates are coming up in 2026

The conference calendar for 2026 is well-filled. The German-African Business Summit, which will take place in Accra this time, is likely to be of particular interest to German players.

By Arne Schütte