Merkel Says China Increasingly Becoming Germany’s Economic Rival
- Chancellor wraps up China visit amid trade, investment tension
- Don’t sweep conflicts under the carpet, German leader says
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on June 13, in Beijing.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel said China’s push to produce higher-value exports is turning the country into a competitor in global markets, underscoring European concern about Chinese trade and investment.
A three-day trip to China that included joint cabinet talks in Beijing and a visit to a BMW AG joint venture was partly a chance to ensure that “diverging interests” between the two countries “aren’t swept under the carpet,” Merkel told reporters in Shenyang on Tuesday.