BERLIN (Feb 18): German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday he would seek "strategic partnerships" with China during a trip next week, as he looks to discuss future cooperation between Europe and the world's second-biggest economy while the US leans on tariffs. He said foreign policy and economic policy could no longer be separated. But it is not our policy," Merz said. "You can do it, but we will not go along with it," Merz said on tariffs. Merz said Europeans had shown they could act together during a recent flare-up linked to Greenland and warned the European Union would respond if Washington raised tariffs again.

Source: The Edge Markets February 19, 2026 02:07 UTC