German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in Hefei, the capital of eastern Anhui province, on 27 October to begin a state visit to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping invited Steinmeier for the trip, which continues until 31 October.
The German leader is scheduled to tour a sustainable urban development project and visit the Volkswagen China Technology Company. Steinmeier will also travel by high-speed train to Yixian county in Anhui province.
In Beijing, Steinmeier will hold talks with Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Zhao Leji. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning described Steinmeier as an "old friend of the Chinese people" who "actively contributed to the development of China-Germany relations."
Ning said, "We hope to work with the German side to take this visit as an opportunity to cement mutual trust, deepen cooperation, and seek joint innovation so as to make greater progress in bilateral relations, contribute to steady and sustained growth of China-Europe relations, and bring fresh energy to the world." The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1972 and recorded bilateral trade of $211.11 billion in 2025.
