BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping called for enhanced China-Germany cooperation to safeguard multilateralism and free trade, stressing the critical role both nations play in promoting stable global economic growth during a phone call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday.
Xi congratulated Merz once again on his election as German chancellor, and underscored the growing importance of China-Germany ties amidst a turbulent time. The stability of China-Germany relations not only serves the mutual interests of both nations but also aligns with the expectations of China and Europe, he said.
Xi expressed China’s readiness to open a new chapter in its strategic partnership with Germany, leading new developments in China-Europe relations and contributing to the stable growth of the world economy.
In their conversation, Xi stressed that China and Germany should strengthen political mutual trust, saying China is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with Germany, respect each other’s core interests, and solidify the political foundation of bilateral ties.
He also highlighted the need for continued cooperation in traditional sectors such as automobiles, machinery and chemicals, while advocating for the exploration of new growth areas in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence and quantum technology. Strengthening exchanges and cooperation in climate change and green development is also stressed by Xi.
He further emphasized the importance of boosting cooperation momentum and expressed hope that Germany could provide more policy support and facilitate bilateral investment cooperation, ensuring a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises.
As this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, Xi called for both sides to reflect on the successful development of China-EU ties, reaffirming their commitment to upholding multilateralism, free trade and mutual cooperation.
Merz, for his part, acknowledged China’s vital role in the global landscape and emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two large global economies. He reiterated Germany’s commitment to the one-China policy and expressed readiness to further develop the strategic partnership with China in a constructive and pragmatic manner.
Merz also affirmed Germany’s commitment to adhering to open, mutually beneficial collaboration, promoting fair trade, maintaining world peace, and jointly addressing global challenges like climate change. He added that the healthy and stable development of EU-China relations serves the interests of both sides, and Germany is willing to play a positive role in this process.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis.
