Germany and China seek closer commerce connections

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Beijing on Monday to, in his words, “find common solutions with regards to reliable access and supply chains.” His counterpart said, “The Chinese side invites German companies to come to China to invest.” The meeting comes as trade conflicts between China, the U.S., Europe and much of the world have increased. Closer economic relationships between Berlin and Beijing are leading to the formation of an anti-Western trade bloc the Bible calls a “mart of nations.”