arrived in China to convey a message: Germany is committed to continuing
its business relationship with the world’s second-largest economy.
On Friday, Scholz arrived in Beijing and met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping
at the Great Hall of the People before being welcomed by Premier Li Keqiang
later that day.
According to a source familiar with the situation, Scholz will be
accompanied on his hectic one-day visit by a delegation of 12 German
industrial heavyweights, including the CEOs of Volkswagen (VLKAF), Deutsche
Bank (DB), Siemens (SIEGY), and chemicals giant BASF (BASFY). Behind closed
doors, they were supposed to meet with Chinese businesses.
The group traveled to China without following the typical arrival procedure
of staying in a quarantined hotel for seven days. Medical personnel in
hazardous suits greeted Scholz’s plane at Beijing Capital International
Airport to conduct tests on the official Covid-19 mission.
