The official part of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to China has wrapped up in Beijing, following a series of diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The visit was marked by a notable incident last autumn when China declined to host German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul due to the minister's statements regarding Taiwan, leading to accusations of China's increasingly aggressive stance towards Taiwan. However, during Merz's visit, China rolled out the red carpet for him, reflecting the importance China places on its relationship with Germany, one of its key European partners.