An employee works at a tyre marking machine at the headquarters of 4JET, a German firm that makes industrial laser processing technology, in Alsdorf, western Germany, on February 10, 2026. Insatiable demand in China for German exports, from cars to factory equipment, helped underpin a long boom in the eurozone's biggest economy. But times have changed: Chinese companies have become adept at making products long the specialities of manufacturers in Germany, adding to the headwinds that have left the country trapped in a seemingly endless decline. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP via Getty Images)