Germany's Merz to relay Asian partners' protectionism concerns to Brussels

German ​Chancellor Friedrich Merz ​said on ‌Friday that ​he would raise concerns he heard from key ‌Asian trading partners about the EU's "Made in Europe" initiatives with partners in Brussels. "There is ‌a fear that we might be ‌facing a new wave of European protectionism - that we are closing ourselves off from other ⁠nations," ​said Merz ⁠in South Korea, the last stop on ⁠his week-long tour that also included visits ​to Japan and Singapore.

"I take these ⁠concerns very seriously. I will carry them back ⁠not ​just to Berlin, but also to Brussels, and I will certainly ⁠raise the fact that these concerns were ⁠expressed ⁠to me quite forcefully here," he added.