Bavarian leader heads to US for stops in South Carolina and Texas

Bavarian state premier Markus Söder is heading to the US on Sunday with stops in Texas and South Carolina on the itinerary as he seeks to boost business ties.

The highlight of his trip is a tour of the NASA Mission Control Centre in Houston. The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) collaborates with the centre and Söder seeks to deepen this cooperation with a project on AI control in space travel planned.

Söder said he aims to "forge alliances with key regions." Alongside Texas, he is heading to South Carolina, where BMW runs its largest and most important overseas plant, in Spartanburg.

He is also set to meet lawmakers including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican. In Germany, Söder heads the conservative Bavarian party the Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to the Christian Democrats, governing at national level.

A reception in the Senate and the House of Representatives are also planned, with discussions expected to focus on US tariffs and protectionism.

To round off the visit, Söder plans to visit a historic site relating to the 250th anniversary of the US War of Independence, as the US prepares to celebrate the event. South Carolina was a pivotal area during the conflict with more than 200 battles fought in the state.