German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking in Singapore as a four-day tour of Asia began, said European and Asian middle powers must "assert our interests" in what he called an international environment shaped by renewed great-power rivalry, according to Deutsche Welle's reporting on October 27, 2026. He also called for a new free-trade agreement between the 27-member European Union and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a bloc of 12 countries across five continents that includes Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Neither the United States nor China is a member.
Merz framed the proposal against unpredictable tariffs imposed by the United States under President Donald Trump and trade restrictions from China. He said Germany and the rest of Europe were offering stability as "a deliberate counterpoint" and said Europe wanted to expand partnerships to increase free trade based on open competition, reliability and a rules-based order.
After meeting Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Merz said investment opportunities in Germany would be "continuously improved" under his government. Wong said many Singaporean investors, including sovereign wealth funds, have long invested in Germany and would continue to do so.
The reporting does not say whether formal negotiations on an EU-CPTPP agreement have been launched, what timeline has been set, or whether any investment commitments were signed during the Singapore visit. The trip is set to continue to Japan and South Korea.
This dispatch is based on a public report by Deutsche Welle. We label it reported; a report is not an independent confirmation.
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