Emmanuel Macron says "right now we are being shaken" by China's trade practices

During a Franco-German ministerial council near Cologne on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held talks that included addressing China’s trade practices. Macron stated that Beijing’s policies are currently leaving France and Germany unsettled, and the two countries aim to produce a joint strategy by September to counter what they see as unfair trade measures. Merz noted the European Union’s growing trade deficit with China, which he said harms European industry. The leaders also agreed that Germany will participate in a French nuclear exercise later this year and join a French-led military maneuver for Ukraine under the “Coalition of the Willing.” The meeting underscores ongoing efforts to coordinate European responses to economic and security challenges.