German chancellor Angela Merkel will make her 11th visit to China, and her first since her re-election, on Thursday, for a trip that is sure to be dominated by Donald Trump’s decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal and knotty trade issues. Given that Germany is a major exporter to China, Dr Merkel must balance the need to show solidarity with China on trade with avoiding angering a vital long-time ally in Washington. Mr Trump’s decision to kill the Iran deal has driven Germany closer to Russia and China on the issue. Ahead of the visit, Dr Merkel’s spokeswoman, Martina Fietz, said: “Both countries are in agreement that open markets and rules-based world trade are necessary. Industry leaders are keen for Dr Merkel to avoid a confrontational stance along the lines of Mr Trump, who has threatened China with billions of dollars in tariffs.

Source: The Irish Times May 23, 2018 15:22 UTC