Berlin signals end to support for lifting China arms ban

German coalition parties said they do not support a quick lifting of the arms embargo against China, speaking on the eve of Chinese president Hu Jintao's meeting with chancellor-designate Angela Merkel.

Friedbert Pfluger, a foreign policy expert at Ms Merkel’s CDU party, said according to FT Deutschland that the lifting of the embargo was "not on the agenda", pointing to consensus over the issue in ongoing coalition talks with SPD.

The position taken by the coalition parties repre...