默克尔

Merkel visited China 12 times as Chancellor - more than any other Western leader of her era. Her pragmatic focus on German exports and supply chains is sometimes described in Chinese media as 默克尔主义 (Merkelism).

history

A quantum chemist by training who grew up in East Germany, Merkel's 16-year tenure spanned the 2008 financial crisis, the 2015 European migrant crisis, and Brexit. Her hand gesture - the 'Merkel rhombus' (Raute) - became an international political meme.