BEIJING, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Cooperation between China and Germany has become more robust, solid and dynamic, Chinese President Xi Jinping told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz through a video link chat on Friday.
In a wide-ranging discussion that touched on global trade, climate goals, the Israel-Hamas war and Ukraine crisis, the two leaders agreed that China-German relations are improving on several fronts.
"China-Germany trade is developing steadily, two-way investment enthusiasm is high, and the cooperation between the two countries is becoming more stable, more solid and more dynamic," Xi was quoted as saying by state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).
Scholz, who came to China last November in the first visit by a G7 leader to the country since the COVID-19 pandemic, said "German-Chinese relations has shown more possibilities and broad prospects."
In the talks, Xi said he also hoped that Germany would push the European Union to "uphold the principles of marketization and fairness, work with China to uphold fair market competition and free trade, and maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains."
China is facing a probe by the European Union into subsidies for electric vehicles, and also the threat of other investigations linked to Chinese steelmakers and its wind power industry.
Xi said both countries must not only develop good bilateral relations, but also safeguard the international order and multilateralism and work together to address global challenges, according to state media.
In their meeting last November, both leaders jointly condemned threats of using nuclear weapons as the Ukraine-Russia conflict escalated.
This time Xi pointed out that "whether it is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict or the Ukraine crisis, to solve the root cause, it is necessary to think more deeply about security issues, and promote the construction of a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture," he was quoted as saying by state media.
Reporting by Ella Cao and Bernard Orr Editing by Tomasz Janowski, William Maclean
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
AirbreathingDragon on November 3rd, 2023 at 23:25 UTC »
Although this exchange isn't particularly significant, it is still a reminder that the US shouldn't take Europe's strategic alignment for granted.
America's foreign policy and strategic think-tanks ought to know better than assume a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is guaranteed or inevitable, especially if the Russian federation were to fragment. In that scenario, Europe would be more inclined to expand its influence over America's neglected Atlantic flank (Greenland & Iceland) rather than play second fiddle in a war of choice.
justlurkshere on November 3rd, 2023 at 23:04 UTC »
I’ll probably get hammered for being snarky, but here it goes.
Germany already backdoored the EU for spending decades latching on to Russian gas and oil, and now doing a rerun latching on to China?
Seems a solid strategy, Germany first.
donutloop on November 3rd, 2023 at 18:52 UTC »
Submission Statement
On November 3, Beijing, a virtual meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz highlighted the strengthening ties between China and Germany. The discussion spanned across global trade, climate goals, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and the Ukraine crisis, showcasing the broad scope of cooperation. With a noticeable improvement in trade and investment dynamics, both leaders acknowledged the more robust, solid, and dynamic bilateral relationship. This dialogue follows Chancellor Scholz's visit to China last November, the first by a G7 leader since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which already had hinted at the broadening prospects of German-Chinese relations.
In this recent interaction, Xi expressed hopes for Germany to influence the European Union in maintaining fair market competition and free trade principles, amidst the EU's probe into Chinese subsidies for electric vehicles and other industries. The dialogue also touched on the necessity of constructing a balanced and sustainable global security architecture, reflecting on the ongoing conflicts in Palestine-Israel and Ukraine. This evolving relationship not only focuses on bilateral benefits but also underscores the shared responsibility of the two nations in addressing global challenges and fostering a stable international order.