The pair met on Friday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, amid a shake-up in relations between the West and China. The tension has been exacerbated by Xi’s close relationship with Vladimir Putin and his refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Scholz is the first Western leader to meet Xi since the Chinese president consolidated control of the Communist Party and began an unprecedented third term in power last month. In a statement carried by Chinese state media, Xi said Scholz’s visit would strengthen trust between Beijing and Berlin and set the stage for more cooperation. “As powerful powers, China and Germany should work together in times of change and chaos,” Xi said. Xi is emerging from a long absence from global diplomacy. In September, he traveled to central Asia on his first overseas trip since the pandemic began in early 2020. However, his government has come under increasing criticism over its stance on Ukraine, crackdowns in the Xinjiang region and Hong Kong, and military attack on Taiwan. Analysts say the Chinese leader will focus on efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, especially with countries seen as less aligned with the US, but is also expected to attend this month’s G20 summit in Bali, where a meeting with the president is possible of the USA Joe Biden. . Recommended Scholz’s government has promised a tougher approach to Beijing. It also faces deep divisions in Berlin over the risks of disconnecting from its reliance on the world’s second-largest economy. Shi Zhiqin, a Europe-China expert at Tsinghua University, said a face-to-face meeting was a good start for resuming diplomatic communication. “Even within Germany, there are different voices about his visit to China. But Germany is a very practical country,” Shi added. “The volume of trade between China and Germany is large. His visit to China is a response to the voice for disengagement with China in the EU.” Scholz, who is traveling with a group of German businessmen, is scheduled to brief the media later on Friday. Additional reporting by Xinning Liu and Maiqi Ding in Beijing and William Langley in Hong Kong