The move could be a harbinger of the shift to Asia some German politicians and business leaders have called for in case U. S. President Donald Trump delivers on his protectionist campaign pledges.
China upstaged the U. S. and France to become Germany’s leading trading partner for the first time last year, highlighting the broad footprint of Germany’s export-oriented economy—a feature that has helped it weather external shocks in the past.
The move could be a harbinger of the shift to Asia some German politicians and business leaders have called for in case U. S. President Donald Trump delivers on his protectionist campaign pledges.
Sales generated from exports to and imports from China reached €169.9 billion ($179.72 billion) last year, putting the Asian giant ahead of Germany’s longtime biggest trading partner France.
