On May 26 local time, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council held fruitful large-scale and small-scale talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at German Chancellery. Both sides jointly mapped out the direction and priorities for the future cooperation between China and Germany and reached important consensus on deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Li Keqiang said that both China and Germany are countries with global influence and that the relationship between the two countries has gone far beyond the bilateral scope and has entered a fast track of development as well as a new phase of full-speed growth. China and Germany have quite a number of converging interests with firm basis of cooperation and broad prospects of the bilateral relationship. It not only conforms to the interests of the two countries, but also benefits China-Europe relations and the world for both sides to strengthen cooperation. We are willing to work with the German side to enhance the multi-layered and wide-ranging cooperation between the two countries so as to push the bilateral relationship to a new high.
Li Keqiang said that the two sides should firmly control the direction of the bilateral relationship, strengthen strategic communication, keep the mechanisms working for the annual meetings of state leaders and government-to-government consultations, and enhance communication and coordination on regional and international affairs.
Li Keqiang noted that China is now committed to shifting the growth model, adjusting the economic structure and promoting the economic growth and is stepping up efforts to realize industrialization, informatization, new-type urbanization and agricultural modernization so as to foster an upgraded version of Chinese economy. It will offer more opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. First, to strengthen cooperation between the manufacturing industries of the two countries and to enhance exchanges on standard-making, technological innovation and personnel training. Second, to deepen collaboration on information and communication technologies, to work together on key research projects in the fields of cloud computing and new-generation mobile communications and to jointly take part in the making of international standards. Third, to implement the China-Germany urbanization partnership and to carry out exemplary cooperation between China and Germany on building low-carbon eco-cities. Fourth, to establish a ministerial-level dialogue mechanism between China and Germany on agricultural cooperation and to enhance cooperation on developing modern agriculture and food security. Fifth, to set up a fiscal and financial dialogue mechanism between China and Germany that involves both the finance ministers and central bank governors of the two countries, to keep close communication and coordination in fiscal and financial fields, to launch the China-Germany council of economic advisers, to found a Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Germany and to establish an investment promotion institute in Germany for promoting investment cooperation. Sixth, to have closer cultural and people-to-people exchanges and to enhance mutual understanding and mutual acceptance by holding the "Year of Languages" program and carrying out an exchange program for ten thousand primary and middle school students so as to pass on the China-Germany friendship to future generations.
Li Keqiang said, Germany is the first EU country I visit since taking office as the Premier of the State Council of China. It demonstrates that the new Chinese government highly values developing relations with the European Union (EU). China always views Europe from a strategic perspective and firmly supports Europe's integration process and the EU's efforts to tackle the European debt crisis and maintain economic stability in Europe. China-EU relationship faces new opportunities as this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. China and the EU should grasp the overall situation and the mainstream of cooperation and properly handle differences in order to make new strides in China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
Li Keqiang pointed out that China stands firmly against the recent proposals of EU to open anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into solar energy and mobile telecommunications equipment imported from China. The abuse of trade remedy measures by the EU will only send a wrong message of trade protectionism to the outside world and negatively affect the businesses, industries and jobs of the both sides. We hope to properly settle the issue through dialogue and consultation, instead of engaging in a trade war. China and Germany share the common position in opposing trade protectionism, and it is hoped that the German side will play a positive role in pushing the EU to defuse the frictions with China through dialogue and consultation to safeguard the overall economic and trade cooperation of China and EU .
Merkel warmly welcomed Li Keqiang for his visit on behalf of the German government and the people. Merkel said that Germany and China have carried out sound cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, diplomacy and culture and that the relationship between the two countries is very close, reaching an unprecedented high level. China has significant influence on the international arena and is an important cooperative partner for Germany. The German side will deepen cooperation and strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with the Chinese side, joining the efforts with China to complement each other and to push forward the Germany-China strategic partnership.
Merkel expressed that the German side supports for a stronger EU-China cooperation and stands for resolving problems in cooperation through dialogue and consultation, making efforts to expand trade scale and avoid trade frictions, so as to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results.
Prior to the talks, Li Keqiang attended the welcome ceremony held for him by Merkel and announced with Merkel the opening of the "Year of Languages" program between China and Germany.