Iran likely to be high on agenda for China, Germany during Angela Merkel visit
Beijing will also be hoping Berlin can help ease European concerns over its trade and industrial policies, observers say
China will try to maximise cooperation with Germany to form a united front against the United States on Iran when German Chancellor Angela Merkel goes to Beijing this week, observers said.
Merkel will visit China for talks on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang, her 11th trip to the country, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Friday.
Berlin and Beijing have differences over trade, cybersecurity, human rights and China’s investment in Germany and across Europe, but Merkel’s trip comes after the US announced it would withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and vowed to impose sanctions on Tehran.
China and European nations have called for the deal – under which Iran agreed to open its nuclear facilities to international inspectors in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions – to be kept, and Merkel has been at the forefront of calls within Europe to remain united around the pact.
Jan Weidenfeld, a China policy researcher at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, said Merkel would try to learn more about Beijing’s position in order to better deal with Washington.