Angela Merkel begins China visit with trade and Syria in focus

Premier Li Keqiang met Angela Merkel for talks in the Great Hall of the People at the start of the German chancellor's eighth visit to China, a trip that is likely to focus on boosting economic links and on the Syrian crisis.

In her talks with Mr Li early on Thursday, she raised the conflict in Syria, a matter that is causing political difficulties for her back in Germany as the country tries to deal with a large influx of migrants, and both countries agreed the urgency of finding a solution was increasing.

“The most important thing is to seize the opportunity to implement a political resolution and set up an equal, inclusive and open political dialogue,” Mr Li told reporters.

Germany has very strong relations with China. During her visit she will also meet President Xi Jinping, and travel to Mr Li's hometown of Hefei in Anhui province.

Ms Merkel, who was aiming to leverage China's influence with Russia to broker a deal with president Bashar al-Assad, said a diplomatic political solution needed to be found.

“It is urgent to find one. At least there are signs for a format of talks that will bring the necessary participants together,” she said.

Ms Merkel's two-day trip comes amid signs of division within Europe on formulating a common policy on China.

She will be accompanied by 20 business leaders on the trip, including Matthias Mueller, chief executive of the world’s second biggest carmaker Volkswagen, currently dealing with a damaging emissions scandal.

The UK has stolen a march on both Germany and France after President Xi Jinping's glittering visit to Britain, during which he stayed at Buckingham Palace, signed trade deals worth €57 billion and hailed a 'Golden Era' of cooperation.

Germany is China’s biggest EU trading partner, and fellow EU giant France has always had traditionally strong business links with China as well. French president Francois Hollande arrives in China on Sunday for a two-day state visit.

Britain has become very proactive in its China dealings. It was the first big Western nation to back China's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, with Germany following afterwards, angering Washington.

Britain is also steering clear of discussing issues such as human rights, an issue which Ms Merkel, herself a former east German dissident, regularly raises with the Chinese leadership at a high-level.

Ms Merkel’s visit comes just days after Beijing protested strongly at Washington’s decision to send a warship to within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands constructed by China in contested areas of the South China Sea.

In 2014, bilateral trade between China and Germany hit a record €154 billion, with China making up nearly half of Germany's trade volume in Asia.

China is Germany’s fourth-biggest export market, and business leaders will hope to address their concerns about the world’s second-biggest economy, currently growing at its slowest rate since 2009.

Additional reporting by Reuters