Merz and Steinmeier Travel to Asia at the Same Time to Expand Ties Beyond China

In brief

• Chancellor Merz began a five-day Asia tour in Singapore, then visits Japan and South Korea, accompanied by about 30 business leaders.
• President Steinmeier visits China at the same time, with both trips aimed at economic and security ties.
• Berlin wants to reduce dependence on China, and Germany has about 2,400 companies in Singapore.

Two trips, one strategy

Chancellor Friedrich Merz left on Monday for a five-day tour of Asia, starting in Singapore before going on to Japan and South Korea (Kanzler auf Asienreise: Wirtschaft, Sicherheit und eine Orchidee: Merz in Singapur – ZEIT ONLINE) (Friedrich Merz: Merz bricht zu mehrtägiger Reise nach Asien auf – ZEIT ONLINE). He travels with a delegation of around 30 senior business leaders, including representatives of industry, technology, defense and energy companies (Germany's Merz heads to Asia as security issues loom large – DW). At the same time, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is visiting China (Reisediplomatie: Merz und Steinmeier auf getrennten Wegen nach Asien – ZEIT ONLINE). Officially the two trips are separate, but observers see them as complementary (Wirtschaftspolitik - Was Merz und Steinmeier mit ihren Asien-Reisen bewirken wollen – Deutschlandfunk).

Reducing dependence on China

Merz has described the three countries as central to reducing one-sided dependencies, a task he calls a key priority of Germany's foreign and economic policy (Reisen in die Boom-Region: Merz und Steinmeier gleichzeitig in Asien – tagesschau.de). Berlin's aim is to open doors for new business and to narrow the gap with the United States and China in artificial intelligence. Steinmeier's visit, by contrast, is meant to push for more reliable trade relations with Beijing.

Singapore, Japan and South Korea

In Singapore, Merz is due to give a major foreign policy speech and hold talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam (Asienreise - Bundeskanzler Merz in Singapur, Japan und Südkorea – Deutschlandfunk). Around 2,400 German companies are based in the city-state, which makes it an important hub for Germany in Asia. Security in the Indo-Pacific is expected to feature in the talks alongside trade. On Wednesday Merz is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo and attend a German-Japanese business summit. Japan is Germany's second-largest trading partner in Asia after China. In Seoul on Thursday, he is set to open an Asia-Pacific conference of the German economy, though Economy Minister Katherina Reiche had to cancel her attendance after falling ill with Covid.

Expected outcomes

Government agreements and company deals are in prospect in all three countries. Officials stress that strengthening rules-based trade serves the interests of both Germany and its partners. Japan has also noticeably reduced its own reliance on China for rare earths. Merz's trip is his longest foreign visit since he took office in May 2025.