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German Chancellor Asia diplomatic tour

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2026-10-30 11:52 UTC → 2026-10-30 17:57 UTC · added ~~removed~~

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has completed a five-day diplomatic and economic mission through Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. Accompanied by approximately 30 high-ranking business leaders, the tour aimed to strengthen strategic, economic, and security ties while securing supply chains. In Singapore, Merz met with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to establish a work plan for defense, green energy, and artificial intelligence. In Japan, discussions with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi focused on G7 economic ties, semiconductors, and hydrogen energy. Merz proposed a new political alliance to defend a rules-based global trade order and suggested an EU-wide free trade agreement with the CPTPP. The tour concluded in South Korea, where Merz met with President Lee Jae Myung. The leaders discussed deepening security cooperation, specifically addressing the threat posed by North Korean soldiers participating in the war in Ukraine. Merz stated that “the security of the Korean Peninsula is intrinsicallyly linked to European security,” leading to agreements on intelligence sharing and joint military exercises. During his visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Merz briefly stepped onto the North Korean side of the border and expressed hope for Korean reunification, drawing parallels to Germany’s own history. At the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business in Seoul, Merz called for an alliance of like-minded states to counter unilateralism and autocratic power politics. Following the tour, Merz announced his intention to raise concerns in Brussels regarding feedback from his Asian partners. He reported that nations in the region fear EU industrial policies, such as the proposed EU Industrial Accelerator Act, could trigger a new wave of economic protectionism. Merz emphasized that the EU must remain open to trade to ensure European products can succeed in Asian markets.

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