China has warned the EU about a potential trade war over electric vehicle tariffs as Germany's economy minister visited Beijing.

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Amid rising tensions, German exports to China fell while U.S. exports rose.

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The proposed EU tariffs and China’s countermeasures have strained trade relations, impacting the German automotive industry and highlighting the need for strategic adjustments.

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Trade experts say economic and political factors all increasingly favor the U.S.-German relationship.

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Germany's 60 billion euros ($64 billion) of trade with China in the first quarter of 2024 was less than the 63-billion-euro total volume of U.S.-German trade. That snapped a trend that has ranked China as Germany's top trading partner for eight years in a row.

Official figures released on Friday underlined the shift: German exports to China fell 14% in May from a year ago while exports to the United States rose 4.1%.