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Germany adopts tougher stance on China trade with 34-point economic package

economy-finance · 2026-07-03

Germany’s governing coalition has unveiled a comprehensive 34-point strategy to revitalize its struggling economy, emphasizing a firmer approach to trade relations with China. The initiative aims to enhance protections against unfair trade practices, proposing expedited anti-dumping and anti-subsidy regulations at the European level, while also addressing potential circumvention of these measures. Friedrich Merz articulated the goal of curbing significant trade imbalances, describing the initiative as a pivotal evolution in Germany’s stance. Juergen Matthes of the German Economic Institute highlighted the unprecedented transparency of this strategy, marking a potential turning point in Germany's role within the EU's trade policies regarding China.

Key facts

  • Germany's ruling coalition agreed on a 34-point package to revive the economy
  • The package signals a tougher stance on defending trade against China
  • It calls for robust protection against unfair competition
  • Measures include faster anti-dumping and anti-subsidy actions at EU level
  • Circumvention of those measures must be effectively prevented
  • Friedrich Merz presented the plans in Berlin
  • Juergen Matthes described it as a substantial change in German position
  • Germany was previously seen as the EU's main brake on action against China

Entities

Institutions

  • German Economic Institute
  • European Union

Locations

  • Germany
  • Berlin
  • China

Sources