GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her country’s trade surplus at the weekend, insisting that Berlin is working to encourage domestic demand but that not all factors are under its control.

Her Economy Minister Peter Altmaier flew to Washington today for talks with US President Donald Trump’s administration, which has criticised Germany’s trade surplus.

Chancellor Merkel said domestic demand has been growing, helping narrow the German trade surplus to €244.9 billion (£216bn) in 2017.