German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday called attempts to decouple from China "a mistake," ahead of his departure for Beijing on his first visit to China since taking office.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, February 17, 2026. /VCG

"It would be a mistake to seek to decouple from China," Merz said in Berlin, adding that severing ties with China would be like "shooting ourselves in the foot. We would be ruining our own economic opportunities."

Merz is leading a high-level trade delegation of senior executives from about 30 leading German companies in key sectors such as automotive, chemicals, biopharmaceuticals, machinery manufacturing and the circular economy.

The German chancellor is scheduled to attend the China-German economic advisory committee meeting in Beijing on Wednesday, where he will also hold talks with Chinese leaders.

During his stay in Beijing, Merz will visit the Forbidden City as well as German automaker Mercedes-Benz. He will then travel to Hangzhou, where he is set to visit Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics and German company Siemens Energy.