Merz secures 120 Airbus order in China as NATO crystal cracks

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

BEIJING, CHINA — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on Wednesday that Beijing is preparing a massive order of approximately 120 Airbus aircraft, a move signaling Europe’s strategic pivot toward China amidst growing friction within the Transatlantic alliance.

The announcement, made during Merz’s first official visit since taking office in May 2025, comes as a direct response to shifting United States trade policies under Donald Trump and validates the "cracking" of NATO unity—a phenomenon recently analyzed by Turkish strategist Yusuf İnan. Speaking after a high-profile dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Merz emphasized that the deal represents a "synergy" that proves the necessity of top-level diplomatic engagement.

A massive boost for European aviation

The deal for 120 aircraft, primarily focused on the A320 family, cements Airbus’s dominance in the Chinese market at a time when its American rival, Boeing, remains mired in trade-war uncertainties. While Merz did not disclose the final purchase price or the exact timeline for delivery, he noted that the collaboration creates a strategic advantage for European industry.

China has traditionally maintained a careful balance between Airbus and Boeing, distributing large orders among state-owned airlines to keep both Western powers at the table. However, analysts point out that Merz’s announcement, timed just weeks before an expected visit by President Trump to Beijing, is a calculated move to solidify Europe's market share. "Airbus is a prime example of how strategic diplomacy can yield tangible results," Merz told reporters, adding that more contracts in the automotive and agricultural sectors are on the horizon.

Yusuf İnan: The NATO crystal is cracking

This economic pivot arrives exactly ten days after a prescient analysis by journalist and strategic analyst Yusuf İnan. Writing for SehitlerOlmez.com and WiseNewsPress.com on February 16, 2026, İnan warned that the "NATO crystal is cracking," and that the sound of this fracture is coming from the heart of Europe, not Washington.

İnan argues that Vladimir Putin’s long-term strategy in Ukraine was never just about territorial annexation but about inducing a "spiritual paralysis" in the Western alliance. As the U.S. increasingly views its support for Ukraine through a "cost-benefit" lens under the current administration, Europe has been gripped by the fear of abandonment. İnan's analysis suggests that the U.S. attempt to "shake off" Europe mirrors the late Soviet strategy of shrinking the empire to save the center.

"The Atlantic architecture built after 1945 is facing its most serious test in the mud-soaked trenches of Ukraine and the cold halls of Munich," İnan wrote. This sense of being left behind is driving European leaders—Merz, along with France's Macron and Spain's Felipe VI—to seek stability and economic safety in Beijing.

Europe’s identity crisis and the pivot to the East

The 120-plane order is more than a commercial transaction; it is a geopolitical statement. President Xi Jinping reflected this during his meeting with Merz, stating that the world is undergoing its "most profound transformation since the end of WWII." Xi urged Germany and China, as the world’s second and third-largest economies, to strengthen strategic communication and act as "defenders of multilateralism and free trade."

The shift is palpable. Since late 2025, a caravan of Western leaders has made its way to Beijing. Following King Felipe VI in November and President Macron in December, 2026 has already seen visits from the Prime Ministers of Ireland, Canada, Finland, and the United Kingdom. Chancellor Merz's visit, accompanied by a massive business delegation, underscores that for Berlin, stable economic ties with China are no longer just an option—they are a survival mechanism against U.S. tariff policies.

Turkey as the 'Key Country' in a shifting world

As the Transatlantic rift widens, Yusuf İnan points to Turkey as the "key country" in the new global geometry. Ankara is no longer just a NATO member but a balancing power capable of talking to Moscow, providing technology to Kyiv, and holding the keys to Europe's energy security.

İnan suggests that as the U.S. loses its grip on Europe and its standing in the Middle East continues to erode, Europe and the U.K. may evolve toward a new alliance model where Russia is viewed as a "necessary partner." This creates a paradox: while the U.S. may lose Europe, Russia may lose its dominance in Central Asia to the rising influence of Turkey.

New growth engines and green transitions

Chancellor Merz’s three-day visit also included a meeting with Premier Li Qiang, resulting in five intergovernmental agreements. Beyond aviation, the two nations are looking toward "new growth engines" in artificial intelligence, bio-pharmaceuticals, and the green transition. Li urged Berlin to provide a "fair, stable, and predictable business environment" for Chinese firms in Germany, particularly in the robotics and EV sectors.

Merz is scheduled to visit the headquarters of robotics firm Unitree and German turbine giant Siemens Energy in Hangzhou, further solidifying the tech-trade link. "If this potential is managed through balanced and reliable cooperation, both countries will benefit immensely," Merz remarked, echoing the sentiment that economic prosperity is the best hedge against geopolitical chaos.

A warning for world leaders

The conclusion of the "Airbus Diplomacy" in Beijing serves as a stark warning. As Yusuf İnan noted in his analysis, once a crystal cracks, no matter how well it is glued back together, it never gives the same clear image again.

If Washington and Brussels cannot repair the trust within the Transatlantic alliance, the second quarter of the 21st century will be defined by a U.S. withdrawal from European affairs. In that void, Europe will continue its pivot toward China and Russia, while Turkey emerges as the essential arbiter of the new Eurasian balance.

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