Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Beijing on Friday, saying China is ready to work with Germany to open a new chapter in China-Germany all-round strategic partnership and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system.
Xi said as the world’s second and third largest economies, China and Germany bear significant responsibilities for the development of China-EU relations and the stable growth of the world economy.
Xi called on both sides to enhance communication and collaboration, create a new model of cooperation featuring equality, mutual benefit and strategic stability, and send out positive signals to the world of choosing openness over isolation and cooperation over confrontation.
China’s policy toward Germany is consistent, stable and predictable, and China is happy to see Germany play a greater role in European and international affairs, Xi said, noting that China has attached great importance to Germany’s status as a major country and always supported its reunification and development.
Xi expressed hope that Germany will view China’s development and its cooperation with China with an open and positive attitude, uphold a rational, pragmatic and friendly policy toward China, and adhere to mutual respect and equal treatment, which is a valuable piece of experience for the sustained and sound development of China-Germany relations.
Noting that Germany is a representative of advanced manufacturing and high-quality products, while China is advancing its modernization through high-quality development, Xi said the two sides have compatible development strategies and broad space for cooperation.
Xi said China welcomes enterprises from Germany and other countries to deepen their presence in China and share the benefit of its supersized market. It is hoped that the German side will provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises operating in Germany, he added.
Xi expressed China’s willingness to cooperate with Germany in areas such as artificial intelligence, green and low-carbon development, trade in services and digital economy to jointly enhance future competitiveness.
Both sides should support cultural, educational and artistic exchanges, facilitate personnel exchanges, foster people-to-people connectivity, and create a favorable atmosphere for celebrating the 55th anniversary of bilateral ties next year, Xi said.
China has always viewed the EU as a partner, and is committed to developing China-EU relations with sincerity and goodwill, said Xi, adding that history and reality have repeatedly shown that for China and the EU, cooperation outweighs competition and consensus outweighs differences.
He added that as long as both China and the EU stay committed to the positioning of their partnership and maintain the tone of equal-footed dialogue, differences and problems can be resolved and will not hinder further development of China-EU relations.
It is hoped that the EU will work with China in the same direction to jointly advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, Xi said.
Xi briefed Steinmeier on the fifth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, adding that the CPC is willing to exchange governance experience with major political parties around the world, including those in Germany.
Steinmeier, who is on a state visit to China, said that over the past 25 years, he has visited China eight times. Hailing China’s rapid development, Steinmeier said China has become a major country with considerable political influence as well as economic, scientific and technological strength.
Germany greatly admires the tremendous development achievements China has made under the leadership of President Xi, he noted.
Germany firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is fully confident about the prospects of bilateral relations, Steinmeier said. The two countries can properly resolve economic and trade differences via dialogue and consultation to achieve win-win results, setting an example for the world, he said.
Noting that the international order is under strain, and the world expects China to play a bigger role, Steinmeier said Germany is ready to jointly shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding world peace and development with China, uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the authority of international law, support free trade and WTO rules, and oppose protectionism and trade wars.
Prior to the talks, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcoming ceremony for Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender at the square outside the east entrance of the Great Hall of the People.
Xi and Peng also held a welcoming banquet for Steinmeier and Büdenbender on Friday evening.
