German minister counts on ‘fair trade with China’ after delayed trip

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday that Germany continues to count on good trade relations with China even though he postponed a trip there that was planned for this week.

Europe must recognize that it needs to further diversify its trading partners and suppliers, Wadephul said in Brussels after several high-level meetings including with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič.

“Yet at the same time we are counting on fair trade with China continuing to be possible in all areas, including rare earths and chips,” he told journalists.

“We remain committed to this fair exchange and fair trade and believe that we will find partners in Beijing once again,” Wadephul stated.

The Foreign Office in Berlin announced last Friday that the trip would be postponed after Beijing had only confirmed one relevant meeting.

The German minister would have been the first to visit China since a new conservative-led government took the helm in Berlin in May.

Wadephul said that delaying the trip was “in this concrete situation the right decision” and hopes to reschedule the visit.

Germany has a “long-standing, good relationship with China” and the government want to continue developing this relationship, he said.