Timeline
February 25, 2026 — March 4, 2026
World
Timeline: How German Chancellor Merz Navigated Between Beijing and Washington Over 8 Days
In February-March 2026, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz embarked on critical diplomatic missions to both China and the United States within a week, attempting to balance Germany's economic interests amid trade tensions with China and navigating Trump's unpredictable foreign policy. The trip revealed Germany's difficult position between competing global powers while addressing massive trade deficits, the Iran crisis, and strained transatlantic relations.
11 events · 7 days · 30 source articles
Wed, Feb 25, 2026
Major
Merz arrives in Beijing calling for rebalancing 'unhealthy' trade ties
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in China for his first official visit, accompanied by 30 business leaders. He immediately addressed Germany's ballooning €87 billion trade deficit with China, which had grown fourfold since 2020, calling the dynamic 'not healthy.' Merz sought to reduce the deficit while maintaining economic cooperation with Germany's largest trading partner.
Wed, Feb 25, 2026
Major
Merz meets Xi Jinping and Li Qiang, secures Airbus deal
On his first day, Merz held meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, walking a diplomatic tightrope by voicing concerns about Chinese subsidies, currency devaluation, and Russia while expressing openness to resetting bilateral ties. The meetings yielded a rare joint statement and a promise from China to purchase up to 120 additional Airbus aircraft. Premier Li called for deeper technological cooperation between the two countries.
Thu, Feb 26, 2026
Moderate
Merz visits tech hub Hangzhou, meets Alibaba and robotics leaders
On the second day of his visit, Merz traveled to Hangzhou, China's eastern tech hub and home to AI firm DeepSeek and e-commerce giant Alibaba. He toured companies including Siemens Energy and Unitree Robotics, meeting with Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu and Unitree founder Wang Xingxing. The visit signaled growing international recognition of China's advances in robotics and artificial intelligence.
Thu, Feb 26, 2026
Moderate
Merz concludes China visit, hails 'good cooperation' amid Trump uncertainty
Merz characterized his China visit as 'worthwhile,' emphasizing the Airbus deal and potential for unlocking significant opportunities between the world's second and third largest economies. He notably avoided calling China a 'systemic rival,' a term his predecessor Olaf Scholz had used. The trip occurred as Berlin sought to rebalance ties amid the unpredictability of the Trump administration's trade policies.
Sun, Mar 1, 2026
Major
Merz acknowledges Germany's 'dilemma' on US-Israeli strikes against Iran
As Merz prepared for his Washington trip, he stated that Germany stood behind the US and Israel but faced a dilemma regarding the legality of their attacks on Iran. He said the attacks were 'obviously not covered by international law' but emphasized Germany's need to work with the US on Ukraine. This delicate position would frame his upcoming meeting with Trump.
Mon, Mar 2, 2026
Major
Merz departs for Washington as Middle East crisis overshadows planned agenda
Chancellor Merz departed for Washington for talks with President Trump, with the trip now dramatically overshadowed by escalating conflict in Iran following US-Israeli strikes. What was planned as a meeting focused on trade tariffs and Ukraine had been transformed by the Middle East crisis. Merz aimed to keep Washington aligned with Europe on Ukraine while addressing trade tensions.
Tue, Mar 3, 2026
Major
Trump praises Merz as 'friend' in Oval Office but attacks Spain and UK
In an Oval Office meeting, Trump called Merz a 'friend' who is 'doing a very good job,' making him the first world leader to meet with Trump since the Iran strikes. However, during the 35-minute press appearance, Trump dominated the conversation and launched attacks on Spain and the UK for being 'uncooperative' on Iran, while Merz sat largely silent. Trump spoke for significantly more time than Merz during their joint appearance.
Tue, Mar 3, 2026
Moderate
Merz's silent strategy with Trump criticized but defended as pragmatic
Following the meeting, Merz's approach of listening while Trump ranted was analyzed as either humiliating or strategically sound. Merz believed he could talk Trump around on Ukraine and trade behind closed doors, similar to his first visit the previous summer. The chancellor stuck to a tactic of never contradicting the US president in front of cameras, focusing on addressing controversial issues in private.
Wed, Mar 4, 2026
Major
Economic reality hits Germany: rising gas prices threaten growth plans
As Merz returned from Washington, the geopolitical consequences of the Iran crisis struck Germany hard. Rising gas prices, falling stock markets, and fuel prices reaching €2 per liter at gas stations threatened to derail carefully planned economic recovery efforts. The situation raised questions about whether Merz achieved anything concrete with Trump and how he would stabilize the economy ahead of upcoming state elections.
Wed, Mar 4, 2026
Moderate
Spain accuses Merz of lacking 'solidarity' during Trump's attacks
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares accused Merz of failing to show solidarity with Madrid when Trump criticized Spain in the Oval Office. Albares expressed 'surprise' that Merz remained silent as Trump berated the Spanish government, especially given that Spain and Germany share a currency, common trade policy, and market. Merz later defended Spain but only after leaving the White House, sparking diplomatic tensions within the EU.
Wed, Mar 4, 2026
Moderate
Analysis: Merz's China visit seen as pragmatic diplomacy amid global uncertainty
Observers concluded that Merz's Beijing visit demonstrated that pragmatic diplomacy still matters in an era of heightened geopolitical tension. His willingness to visit Hangzhou's tech hub and engage substantively with Chinese leaders offered 'a measure of pragmatic steadiness' that the global stage had been lacking. The trip came as European leaders watched anxiously for potential shifts in US-China relations ahead of Trump's expected visit to Beijing.
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