A working visit

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent visit to China will be remembered for two things. First, Merkel had to criticize - in front of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang - America's spying on a German parliamentary committee looking into allegations by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden that Washington carried out major surveillance in Germany, including monitoring Merkel's phone.

Second, German business representatives are reportedly of the opinion that a "more positive" media coverage of China is needed. However, German entrepreneurs should know that media outlets in Germany don't work the same way as in the People's Republic. Unlike their Chinese counterparts, they are not controlled by the state. Instead, they are independent and committed to their audiences.

Institutionalized relations

On the other hand, the fact that the visit of a German chancellor doesn't generate many other headlines highlights shows just how close the Sino-German have become. Events perceived as extraordinary just a few years ago, have now become almost normal.

In this context, it is important to consider that it is not obvious for Angela Merkel to be greeted by gun salutes when she enters Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Not every foreign head of government is welcomed in this manner. The same is true for the multi-billion dollar business deals closed every time a German chancellor travels to China.

This time around, there was nothing unexpected about Chancellor Merkel's itinerary, which included discussion forums, business talks, visits to the province, a speech in front of students - and most likely, backroom discussions on human rights issues. Merkel's seventh trip to Beijing shows that these "working visits" to China are being handled almost the same way as visits to neighboring France: they are very much institutionalized.

Are the "golden years" over?

And this is a good thing as potentially difficult times lie ahead for the Sino-German tandem. The President of the European Chamber of Commerce in China has warned that the golden years are over. Moreover, the pressure on opposition groups within China is mounting, despite the fact that Li Keqiang addressed human rights issues during a press conference with Merkel. Additionally, tensions are mounting with China's neighbors due to territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas.

It was probably a coincidence that Merkel's visit coincided with the commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the Japanese invasion of China. But the constant reminder of Japan's war-time atrocities also serves a political purpose: this external enemy is meant to unite China under the leadership of the Communist Party. It also helps strengthen China's position in the dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.

It is also a coincidence that the annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue is set to begin just a day after Merkel's departure from Beijing. But these talks are likely to deal with more contentious issues.

Given China's increasingly aggressive posture, The Washingon Post writes that the US-China relationship is facing its stiffest test since President Richard M. Nixon traveled to Mao Zedong's China in 1972. Berlin may still be in a position to mediate, but Germany will have to take a stance, should the latent conflicts escalate.