In Germany, debate on trade with China grows as Merkel nears exit

Since 2015, China has been Germany’s largest trading partner, but close economic ties are under increasing scrutiny.

Hamburg, Germany – On a bright afternoon at Hamburg port, gargantuan Chinese-built cranes load and unload cargo from the hold of CSCL Mars, a container ship measuring more than three football fields in length – and is owned by China’s Cosco Shipping.

It is not an unusual sight.

Hamburg’s strong rail connections to the European hinterland have made it a key link between the land and maritime arms of China’s ever-expanding Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).