German Chancellor Merz arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on the morning of the 25th, commencing his first visit to China since taking office.
CCTV News client reported the news and noted that Merz is also the first foreign leader received by China in the Year of the Horse according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
Merz will make an official visit to China from the 25th to the 26th. During the visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with him, and Premier Li Qiang will hold talks with him to exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern.
Chinese state media Global Times published an editorial on Wednesday, stating that Merz’s visit to China is not only an important sign of a new start in China-Germany relations, but also a key step for China-Europe relations to recalibrate direction amidst changing circumstances.