During Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to China, Gitta Connemann, chairman of the MIT and parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, is demanding clear improvements for German companies. She told Politico that foreign businesses currently face investment bans, joint‑venture mandates, localisation requirements and even coerced technology transfers-conditions she says sap the “know‑how” that distinguishes German firms.
Connemann explained that Merz traveled with business leaders to Beijing specifically to tackle these issues. “He takes the risk, so we are together with him in China” she said. By engaging entrepreneurs on the ground, she hopes they can reclaim the potential that China has always offered, now partly for Germany’s benefit.
She highlighted Germany’s economic weight as a key lever in these negotiations. “Germany remains Europe’s leading economy and a dynamic market” she added. Connemann emphasized that open discussion usually yields better results than arguing from separate positions.
