On May 15th, German Chancellor Mertz delivered his first speech since taking office in the German Bundestag and issued his first government statement. Mertz said that on domestic issues, he firmly believes that Germany can overcome various challenges “with its own strength”. However, Mertz also stated that policy changes are necessary in many aspects and require “rethinking and redefining priorities in many areas”. Regarding the issue of Ukraine, Mertz promised to continue providing support to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Mertz also stated that he will “make every effort to continue achieving maximum unity between Europe and the United States on the issue of Ukraine”. Regarding national defense issues, Mertz announced that he will further enhance Germany’s defense capabilities. He stated that the German Federal Armed Forces should become the ‘strongest conventional army in Europe’, and the federal government will provide all necessary resources for this. Regarding economic issues, Mertz stated that Germany’s economic framework is no longer competitive and that he will do everything in his power to bring the German economy back on track for growth. In addition, Mertz also mentioned the need to be cautious about the issue of “debt brakes”. In the government statement, Mertz regards China as an important partner for Germany and the European Union to address global challenges and economic cooperation.
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