Gitta Connemann, chair of the German Economy and Climate Ministry’s parliamentary committee (MIT) and parliamentary secretary to the minister, is demanding concrete changes that would benefit German companies during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to China.
In a conversation with the news outlet Politico, she outlined the current barriers faced by foreign firms: investment bans, joint‑venture requirements, localisation mandates and, in some cases, coerced technology transfers. “These policies cost German companies what truly distinguishes them – their know‑how” she said.
Connemann explained that Merz travelled to Beijing with a delegation of business leaders to address these issues. “He is taking the risk of going to China, which is why he is now accompanied by German enterprises” she added. Their goal is “to recover, jointly with entrepreneurs, the opportunities that have always existed in China and, in part, bring them back to Germany”.
She highlighted Germany’s economic weight as a bargaining chip, noting that “Germany remains Europe’s leading economy and China is an exciting market”. Connemann stressed the importance of dialogue, stating, “I know that talking together usually yields more than speaking over each other”.