Friedrich Merz, the newly appointed German Chancellor, had his first conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping this month, discussing the collaborative efforts made by Europe and the U.S. to achieve a swift ceasefire in Ukraine.

Merz's office issued a statement urging China to support these initiatives, highlighting both sides' willingness to tackle global challenges together. Meanwhile, officials from Russia and Ukraine held their first face-to-face meeting in Istanbul since the war began. However, the Kremlin has stated that a new round of peace talks has yet to reach an agreement.

In the call, Xi called for Germany to provide more policy support for bilateral investment cooperation and to ensure a fair and transparent business environment for Chinese firms. He emphasized the importance of the China-Germany partnership, advocating for stronger political trust and enhanced cooperation. Merz reiterated the significance of the German-Chinese economic relationship on social media.