CHONGQING (dpa-AFX) - At the start of his three-day trip to China, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz landed on Sunday morning in the megacity of Chongqing, the world's most populous city with a population of 32 million. There, the SPD politician intends to visit a Bosch hydrogen drive production facility, talk to students about urban planning and meet the regional party secretary Yuan Jiajun.

Due to the Iranian air attack on Israel, however, it was unclear when the Chancellor landed whether the program would continue. The situation in the Middle East could also affect the trip over the next few days. From Chongqing, the onward journey to the economic metropolis of Shanghai is planned for Monday. On Tuesday, the Chancellor wants to meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Scholz will be accompanied by a dozen top managers. Among them are the CEOs of the car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and BMW as well as the chemical company BASF. In Beijing, Scholz is also expected to receive support from Ministers Cem Özdemir (Agriculture, Greens), Volker Wissing (Transport, FDP) and Steffi Lemke (Environment, Greens).

This is the Chancellor's second trip to China since taking office in December 2021. His inaugural visit in November 2022 was only a day trip due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This time, he is taking three days - more than ever before for a single country on a single trip./mfi/DP/zb