Johann Wadephul, Federal Minister for Overseas Affairs of Germany, on 15 February (native time), mentioned Europe’s continued partnership with the United States and highlighted that the ties between the 2 are stronger than these with China.
He made the remarks throughout a dialog with CNBC on the sidelines of the 2026 Munich Safety Convention held from 13 February to fifteen February. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured that Washington has no plans of abandoning its deep alliance with Europe.
Rubio stated, “We wish Europe to be sturdy. We imagine that Europe should survive, as a result of the 2 nice wars of the final century serve, for us, as historical past’s nice reminder that in the end, our future is, and can at all times be, intertwined with yours.”
Wadephul’s feedback come at a time when reviews counsel that a number of nations are slowly pivoting in direction of Beijing as they lose confidence in Washington following the “Liberation Day” tariffs that had been introduced by US President Donald Trump’s administration in 2025.
A South China Morning Put up report just lately highlighted how German firms are slowly transferring away from Washington and ramping up investments in Beijing. Citing an government at a German chamber of commerce, the report stated that the Trump administration has discouraged German companies from increasing within the US as a result of tariffs. The official additional stated that the Trump administration’s stance on immigration coverage and his most up-to-date plans to accumulate Greenland have additionally given German firms loads of cause to look past Washington.
Germany’s investments in China at 4-year excessive
In accordance with a Reuters report, German firms’ investments in China in 2025 hit a report four-year excessive. The report cited information from the Ifo Institute for Financial Analysis and confirmed that Munich’s funding in Beijing between January and November final 12 months exceeded 7 billion euros ($8 billion). This marked a 55.5% improve from the 4.5 billion euros recorded in each 2024 and 2023.
On the identical time, AFP reported that Munich’s exports to Washington in 2025 declined as a result of tariffs imposed, hitting a four-year low.
German Chancellor to go to China
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz is reportedly going to go to China this month, marking his first go to since taking workplace. Through the assembly, some key points more likely to be mentioned embody boosting an “open market setting” to ascertain a “degree taking part in subject” for German firms. The discussions would additionally deal with bettering mental property rights regulation, the official of the German Chamber of Commerce stated. He additional stated, “Chinese language firms are on the identical degree or spearheading innovation” in contrast with their German friends, however are open to working collectively in synthetic intelligence, robotics, and ‘good’ manufacturing.”
US companions transfer away?
Aside from the tariffs, a number of European nations have been divided over the insurance policies introduced by the Trump administration and its dealing with of a number of points, together with its most up-to-date plan to annexe Greenland, an Arctic island that’s an autonomous Danish territory.
Following his announcement, Europe criticised his plan, and a joint assertion was launched by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The assertion learn that Arctic safety stays a key precedence for Europe and added that the European allies are stepping up.
What adopted had been related tariff threats Trump has issued up to now, with a number of European nations sending small contingents to Greenland.
Moreover, up to now few months, a number of Western leaders, together with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, visited China, ramping up ties with Beijing. The listing additionally consists of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is predicted to journey to Beijing once more later this 12 months.
