Li, Scholz vow to enhance cooperation

Areas such as advanced manufacturing, trade, digital economy are in spotlight

China and Germany should further tap into potential for bilateral cooperation in advanced manufacturing, trade in services, the digital economy and response to climate change to foster new drivers of bilateral cooperation, Premier Li Keqiang told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday.

In his first phone conversation with Scholz, who was sworn in as Germany's chancellor on Dec 8, Li highlighted the need to amplify the role of pragmatic cooperation as "the super engine" to drive the upgrading of bilateral cooperation.

Pragmatic cooperation between the two nations is becoming deeper and more wide-ranging, and it has served as a key aspect of bilateral relations and benefited people from both sides, Li said.

He said that the over 2,000 Chinese businesses in Germany and the more than 7,000 German businesses in China are the backbone of bilateral cooperation, and the two governments should remain committed to creating a fair and nondiscriminatory business environment.

He added that Beijing hopes that Berlin can treat Chinese businesses with a more open mindset.

Bilateral trade between China and Germany grew 27.1 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2021, and China is expected to be Germany's largest trading partner for the sixth consecutive year, Wu Ken, the Chinese ambassador to Germany, wrote in a recent opinion piece on the website of Chinese broadcaster CGTN.

Li pointed out that the two nations, as major economies and responsible major countries in the world, both uphold multilateralism and practice free trade. Bilateral cooperation not only benefits the two nations, but also the European Union and the world, he said.

With this year marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, Li urged both nations to further consolidate political mutual trust, enhance dialogue and exchanges, adhere to two-way opening-up and attain win-win cooperation.

The premier noted that China and the EU, as two important forces on the global stage, share wide-ranging common interests.

He urged the EU to view bilateral ties from a long-term perspective and a broader horizon, uphold dialogue and cooperation, respect each other, treat each other as equals and promote the steady and healthy growth of the relationship, he said.

Both leaders highlighted the need to make full use of the fast lanes for essential travel between the two nations to enable a more convenient flow of personnel.

They also agreed to actively prepare for a new round of intergovernmental consultation, a mechanism launched by the two nations in 2010.

Scholz reaffirmed Germany's adherence to the one-China policy and his commitment to further expand bilateral ties as the two sides mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Germany is seeking to further deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, the economy, response to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, adding that the nation was and will always be committed to promoting the healthy growth of EU-China relations.

He expressed his hope that the EU-China investment deal, reached in principle between the two sides in late 2020, can come into force at an early date.