China's new premier is set to meet Germany's chancellor amid a looming trade spat between Asia's economic giant and the European Union. German officials said Li Keqiang and Angela Merkel at their meeting Sunday in Berlin were expected to discuss economic issues but also Iran's nuclear program and the civil war in Syria. During a visit to Switzerland on Saturday, Li criticized the 27-nation EU for pursuing anti-dumping cases against Chinese solar power and telecommunications equipment manufacturers that he warned will hurt both sides. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, has indicated that it hopes for a negotiated solution in those cases rather than having the EU impose anti-dumping duties which could provoke China to impose retaliatory tariffs. Li took office in March.
