FM, German counterpart talk via video

Berlin recently assumed presidency of the Council of the European Union

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on China and Germany to resume cooperation in various areas to ensure stable development of bilateral ties and jointly uphold multilateralism.

In a videoconference with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Friday, Wang called for reopening dialogue at all levels and in various areas between the two countries through planning and implementing various dialogue and consultation mechanisms in a flexible manner.

Leaders of the two countries have maintained close communication since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. President Xi Jinping has had three telephone conversations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Premier Li Keqiang held a videoconference with her in June.

China and Germany should also renew pragmatic cooperation as soon as possible to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, Wang said.

The two countries established fast-track arrangements in May to create conditions to expand personnel exchanges and increase flights.

Wang said China and Germany should also enhance cooperation in multilateral affairs and advance international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19.

He called on the two states to help Africa and other less-developed regions in their anti-pandemic work, and enhance cooperation in the research and development of a vaccine.

Germany has recently taken over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

China expects that Germany will help push forward China-EU relations during its presidency, and is willing to work with the EU to map out major political agendas between the two sides in the next phase, Wang said.

Comprehensive, objective and accurate mutual understanding are key to developing China-EU relations, he said, reiterating that their consensus exceeds differences and cooperation outweighs competition.

As China and the EU are partners instead of rivals, Wang said bilateral exchanges should be mutually beneficial, rather than a zero-sum game where one's gain is another's loss.

China and Germany agreed in their virtual meeting to step up negotiations and strive to conclude the China-EU Comprehensive Investment Agreement at an early date.

Maas appreciates China's willingness to provide vaccines developed in China as an international public good, and expressed support for strengthening cooperation between the two countries' vaccine research and development efforts.

Germany will strengthen communication with China and cooperate with the country on economic recovery in the post-pandemic era, he said.

During their meeting, Wang said some anti-China forces in the United States were deliberately creating ideological confrontations.