Dr Angela Merkel had helpful parting words for her successor Olaf Scholz, who became Germany's Chancellor last week. Germany may at first have been naive in some areas of cooperation with China, she observed in an interview, days before she left the position.

But it should not sever all connections in reaction to growing tensions, she said. Mr Scholz, who cast himself as a continuity candidate in recent parliamentary elections, had promised voters that he would keep faith with Dr Merkel's policies. A key test will arise in Asia. New Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock already signalled a change in stance towards China under a "values-based" foreign policy that will be closely watched in the region.