China, Germany agree to speed up talks on China-EU investment agreement

China and Germany have agreed to speed up negotiations on a China-EU investment agreement so as to further enrich the two countries' cooperation.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during an annual meeting between the heads of the two countries' governments in Berlin, capital of Germany, May 31, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Rao Aimin]

Visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his German counterpart, Angela Merkel, made the announcement on Thursday during a joint press conference at the German Chancellery in Berlin.

The investment deal will benefit the two-way opening-up of the Chinese and EU markets and promote trade liberalization and investment facilitation, Li said.

For her part, Merkel said Germany attaches great attention to the EU-China investment treaty, adding that the signing of the treaty will be a good start of negotiations on an EU-China free trade agreement.

The Chinese premier is on a two-day official visit to Germany for the annual meeting of the two countries' heads of government, a mechanism that has been in place since 2004.

Germany is the first leg of Li's ongoing three-day Europe tour, which will also take him to Belgium.

In Brussels, the Chinese premier will co-chair the 19th China-EU leaders' meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and pay an official visit to Belgium.