China was long a lucrative market for Germany Inc., but the Asian giant¡¯s rise in high-tech fields has put the heat on Europe¡¯s industrial powerhouse and its companies, big and small.

Insatiable Chinese demand for German exports, from cars to factory equipment, helped underpin a long boom in the eurozone¡¯s biggest economy, but times have changed, adding to the country¡¯s economic headwinds.

As Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly readies to make his inaugural visit to the world¡¯s second-biggest economy later this month, a pressing issue will be how to navigate evolving commercial ties.