Steinmeier urges China to cut its trade deficit with Germany during Beijing visit

Steinmeier presses for a balanced trade relationship

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier used his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, 30 October, to press for a change in the trade balance. He called on China's leadership to reduce what he described as a high trade deficit with Germany. In his opening remarks he said Germany wanted close economic ties that deliver lasting gains for both sides.

“We want to maintain close trade and economic relations that provide long-term benefits for both sides.”

Steinmeier told Xi that the economic relationship was highly dynamic, which made it natural to keep reviewing the framework conditions. He said he was confident that dialogue would produce satisfactory results. He also said China's economic strength, technological capabilities and political influence had grown enormously, and he added that both countries shared responsibility for the international order.

Trade figures

Germany's trade deficit with China came to about 90 billion euros in 2025, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Chinese exports to Germany were roughly 170 billion euros that year, while German exports to China were worth 81.3 billion euros. China has again become Germany's most important trading partner after a pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. Steinmeier's request therefore centres on the gap between the two countries' export volumes.

Chinese exports to Germany (approx.)170

German exports to China81.3

Trade deficit with China (approx.)90

Chinese exports to Germany (approx.)

170 billion euros

German exports to China

81.3 billion euros

Trade deficit with China (approx.)

90 billion euros

Data from the article text

Visit schedule and earlier remarks

Steinmeier arrived in China on Tuesday, 27 October, and is scheduled to stay until Saturday, 31 October. On Thursday, 29 October, he spoke at Peking University and warned that if European companies receive only tightly controlled access to the Chinese market while state-subsidised Chinese exports flow into European markets, Europe would face a risk of one-sided vulnerability. On Friday he met Premier Li Qiang before his talks with Xi. His previous state visit to China took place in 2018.

Beijing's response

Xi, who spoke before Steinmeier, argued along similar lines and called for both sides to take on responsibility and strengthen economic cooperation. He said the goal was a new model of cooperation built on equality, mutual benefit and strategic stability, and he called for openness rather than isolation. Separately, Xi said China had always regarded the European Union as a partner and that cooperation outweighed competition in China-EU ties. He argued that differences could always be resolved while both sides kept dialogue on equal terms. Xi urged Germany to maintain a pragmatic policy toward China.

Swiss trade agreement and wider context

On the same day, Xi and Swiss President Guy Parmelin signed a trade agreement in Beijing. It abolishes tariffs on 99.8% of Swiss exports to China over the coming ten years. In return, it lifts duties on 97.3% of Chinese agricultural exports to Switzerland, where 80.1% of those exports were already duty-free before the deal.

The visit takes place at a delicate stage in relations with China. Steinmeier praised the country's economic strength while indicating, in more general terms, that some of its developments worry Germany. The trip comes as Germany and Europe engage more intensively with the political and economic relationship with China. The visit ends on Saturday, 31 October.