German Chancellor Angela Merkel can’t be faulted for not giving her all to bring about a change of heart by Beijing. Her dozen trips to China during her 16 years in office are a testimony to her conviction in the principle of “Wandel durch Handel,” or change through trade. German firms invested billions of euros in China, bringing with them critically needed manufacturing know-how to a rapidly advancing country. Heavily subsidized Chinese firms were allowed a free run in European markets for the longest time with many of them ending up acquiring strategically important local firms. The hope was that deep …
