Angela Merkel and Xi Jinping. Photo: DPAChancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping Thursday stressed their commitment to free trade ahead of a G20 finance ministers' meeting set to be dominated by debate on protectionism. The two leaders spoke by telephone and said in a statement issued in Berlin that they would "together fight for free trade and open markets". White House economic advisor Peter Navarro in January accused Germany and China of taking advantage of weak currencies to build a trade surplus with the United States. And on the eve of the finance ministers' meeting, Germany's Wolfgang Schöuble was set to host US counterpart Steven Mnuchin later Thursday for their first official talks.

Source: The Local March 16, 2017 16:07 UTC