German PR tests electric vehicle from Volkswagen developed with Chinese partners

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Volkswagen's facilities in Hefei, China, testing an electric vehicle developed with local partners. He experienced a model featuring jointly developed electronic architecture with Xpeng and advanced driving assistance systems from Horizon Robotics. The visit highlighted Volkswagen's efforts to strengthen its industrial presence in China amid declining sales and increasing competition from local brands. Steinmeier's trip is part of a six-day state visit, the first by a German president to China since 2018, coinciding with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's trip to Asia to enhance economic alliances. The backdrop includes rising trade tensions between Germany and China.