FRANKFURT, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Germany's Chancellor

Friedrich Merz will soon meet with executives of the steel and

automotive sectors in two separate summits to discuss how to

provide support in times of high costs and tariffs, he said on

Wednesday.

Merz, who did not provide dates, said it was absolutely

essential to strengthen Germany's economy, the world's

third-largest after the United States and China, in light of

growing competition from abroad.