Li proposes broadening Sino-German opening-up

Premier Li Keqiang called on Thursday for greater strides in two-way opening-up between China and Germany and better use of the fast lane opened for bilateral personnel exchanges to facilitate business cooperation and reopening and safeguard the security of industry and supply chains.

Speaking during a videoconference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the premier reiterated China's commitment to further expanding opening-up and providing a good business environment for investors from different countries.

The conference came on the heels of a phone conversation between President Xi Jinping and Merkel last week, the third phone call between the two this year. Li spoke with Merkel over the phone on Feb 9.

To restore economic growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides must jointly uphold multilateralism and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, Li said.

Despite disruptions caused to bilateral exchanges by the pandemic, the two countries have continued and will press ahead with bilateral cooperation, he said.

The two sides, on the basis of mutual respect, equality and win-win outcomes, should continue to deepen political and strategic mutual trust, maintain dialogue and consultation with each other and deepen cooperation in areas such as economics, trade, investment, science and technology, he said.

Li briefed Merkel on China's work on epidemic containment, saying that Beijing is willing to step up sharing experiences with Berlin on fighting the pandemic and bolstering cooperation in the research and development of vaccines and pharmaceuticals.

He underscored that China supports the European integration process and will be glad to see a European Union that maintains its solidarity and prosperity.

The enhanced opening-up and cooperation between the two countries and between China and the EU is not a temporary fix. Instead, it is in line with their common interests and will usher in mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, he said.

Li expressed his hope that Germany, which will soon hold the rotating presidency of the EU, will play a positive role in promoting China-EU relations.

China stands ready to maintain high-level exchanges with the EU, move forward with pragmatic cooperation and ensure that talks on China-EU investment agreements are concluded at an early date, he added.

China's trade volume with the EU dropped by 4.4 percent to 1.6 trillion yuan ($226.4 billion) in the first five months of this year, with exports to the EU down by 1 percent and imports down by 9 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Merkel noted that the two countries have maintained close high-level exchanges and conducted good cooperation in jointly fighting the pandemic.

Germany welcomes China's efforts to expand its opening-up, and it will continue to promote bilateral cooperation in various areas, she said.

She expressed her appreciation for China's decision to share its vaccines as international public goods and voiced her support for greater cooperation between the vaccine research and development institutions of both countries.

The two sides, both advocates of multilateralism, should engage in closer coordination and dialogue within the framework of the World Trade Organization, she added.

She said that Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU in the second half of this year, will make concerted efforts with China to make sound preparations for high-level exchanges between the EU and China and promote bilateral dialogue within current mechanisms.

Merkel also underlined the importance of accelerating EU-China investment talks and bolstering trilateral cooperation among the EU, China and Africa.

The two sides held online signing ceremonies for bilateral cooperation agreements before the videoconference.