German leader’s China visit latest sign of foreign diplomacy pivot beyond Beijing

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has begun his state visit to China in the eastern province of Anhui, spotlighting a growing trend among visiting foreign leaders to look well beyond Beijing.

Steinmeier arrived in the provincial capital Hefei early on Tuesday to begin a five-day state visit, marking his first trip to China in nearly eight years and confirming an exclusive report by the South China Morning Post earlier this month.

When foreign dignitaries bypass Beijing for provincial hubs, it is a deliberate diplomatic move, with itineraries carefully curated to project a commitment to deeper ties. Regional stops offer a direct window into China’s industrial landscape while opening doors for cooperation in trade, hi-tech manufacturing, tourism and clean energy.

According to his office, Steinmeier’s itinerary in Anhui includes a visit to German carmaker Volkswagen’s innovation hub in Hefei, alongside cultural exchange sites. He will then travel to Beijing, where he will meet top leaders including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang before concluding his visit.

His office said the trip aimed to address “Germany’s multifaceted and complex relations with China and the challenges they face”, while his time in Anhui would highlight “the China of the turn of the century around 1900 and the significance of this era in the history of German-Chinese relations”.

Choosing Anhui underscores Berlin’s push for dialogue even as bilateral ties sour over mounting trade friction, driven by German anxiety that fierce Chinese competition could hollow out its manufacturing heartland.

In early October, Germany and France co-signed a proposal calling for a new trade mechanism to bar European Union market access to countries that cause market distortion – a measure widely seen as aimed at China.

Steinmeier’s first stop in Hefei was the former residence of Li Hongzhang – a Chinese statesman of the late Qing dynasty who pioneered China’s early modernisation.

Li met former German chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1896, a historic encounter in which the Qing envoy sought a blueprint for China’s industrialisation while observing first-hand the rise of a modern industrial power.

Moving from history to sustainability and innovation, Steinmeier toured Luogang Central Park, a sustainable urban development project built on the site of Hefei’s former international airport.

His schedule in Hefei also featured a visit to the research and development centre of the Volkswagen Group China Technology Company.

Hefei has transformed into a hi-tech hub backed by heavy investment in emerging industries, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors and new energy vehicles.

Steinmeier’s presence in the city underscores Berlin’s recognition of China’s vast consumer market and integrated supply chains, as well as its desire to sustain practical cooperation in trade, technology and innovation despite broader geopolitical headwinds.

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Before heading to Beijing, Steinmeier will also visit the historic village of Hongcun and Mount Huangshan – sites that the German presidency noted as uniting “nature, architecture and philosophy”.

In the capital, Steinmeier is due to tour the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to examine climate cooperation, followed by an address at Peking University. Xi is later expected to welcome him with full military honours.

Regional engagement by visiting leaders extends well beyond Anhui, with Shanghai – China’s financial capital – remaining one of the most sought-after stops.

The city hosted both South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in January alone, before a visit in August by King Abdullah II of Jordan further cemented its status as an entry point into China’s technology and consumer markets.

Just south of Shanghai, Hangzhou has similarly emerged as an essential diplomatic stop. Once celebrated primarily for the classic scenery of West Lake, the Zhejiang provincial capital has evolved into an innovation powerhouse, drawing foreign heads of state with itineraries anchored in robotics, e-commerce and advanced manufacturing.

In February, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz led a high-powered business delegation to the city, visiting Siemens Energy and humanoid robotics maker Unitree to assess the rapid pace of Chinese technological commercialisation

Over May and June, the city hosted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for a bilateral business conference, as well as Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith for a tour of tech giant Alibaba – owner of the SCMP – and quadruped robot pioneer Deep Robotics.

Chengdu, the capital of southwestern Sichuan province, has also emerged as a popular destination. It drew at least four world leaders in the second half of 2025 alone, among them French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish King Felipe VI.

In July last year, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrapped up his visit to China in Chengdu, where he toured the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

The following September, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari also visited Chengdu, where he toured the advanced manufacturing complex of the state-owned aerospace and defence giant Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

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Chengdu is one of China’s major aviation industry hubs, closely associated with the development and manufacture of civil aircraft and fighter jets including the J-10 and J-20.

Guangzhou, the capital of southern China’s Guangdong province, hosted Italian President Sergio Mattarella in November 2024, when he praised the metropolis as a vital historic bridge for East-West exchange, according to local authorities.

Long a “gathering point for Western envoys, missionaries and merchants travelling to China”, as China’s State Council Information Office describes it, the city remains a major hub for China’s foreign trade. The China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, was established in Guangzhou in 1957 and has built trade links with more than 229 countries and regions, according to the fair’s website.

Papua New Guinean Prime Minister James Marape visited Guangzhou in April to promote economic cooperation and trade ties.

Xiongan New Area, a state-level mega city project about 100km (62 miles) from Beijing and held up as “a strategy crucial for a millennium to come” has emerged as yet another fixture on foreign itineraries. It has hosted delegations from at least 82 countries and regions since 2025 alongside high-profile leaders such as Vietnamese President To Lam.