China, Germany pledge to take bilateral ties to higher levels

Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed in Berlin Wednesday to lift China-Germany relations to new and higher levels.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) holds talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, capital of Germany, July 5, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

During their talks, the two leaders charted a new blueprint, set new targets and mapped out new paths for the future development of the China-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership.

They agreed to deepen political mutual trust, step up practical cooperation, boost cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and promote closer coordination on multilateral occasions.

During Xi's first state visit to Germany in 2014, China and Germany lifted their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Xi hailed the development of the China-Germany relationship since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties 45 years ago as a "success story" that has delivered real benefits to the two peoples.

As this year marks the 45th anniversary of China-Germany diplomatic relations, Xi said China is ready to join Germany in consolidating mutual trust, building up more consensus and promoting bilateral cooperation and connectivity, so as to ensure a constant development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

"Currently, the world is undergoing profound changes and major adjustments, and has turned increasingly volatile," he said.

Under such circumstances, the most fundamental thing is to fully grasp the inevitable trends of multi-polarization and economic globalization, and the common aspirations of the peoples around the world for peace and development, and to follow the path of win-win cooperation, Xi added.

China is the world's second largest economy and Germany is the fourth, and they are also two stabilizing forces with major influence in Asia and Europe, Xi said.

A stronger China-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership serves both sides' fundamental interests, and can help promote the development of China-European Union (EU) relations and add more stability and predictability to the world, he added.

To better promote bilateral ties, the Chinese president called for intensifying high-level exchanges, giving full play to bilateral dialogue mechanisms and enhancing political mutual trust.

The two sides should also attend to each other's core interests and major concerns, seek common grounds while reserving differences, and properly handle their disputes on the basis of mutual respect and equality, he said, calling for closer cooperation in such areas as combating terrorism and cross-border crimes and hunting fugitive corrupt officials.

Meanwhile, he suggested that China and Germany need to follow an open, innovative and win-win path, conduct strategic cooperation and jointly promote their common interests.

The two sides, he said, should support their firms in synergizing "Made in China 2025" and Germany's "Industry 4.0," so as to unleash the potential for innovation when the two nations' manufacturing strengths are combined with the Internet.

Xi also urged the two sides to give full play to the newly launched High-Level People-to-People Exchange Dialogue Mechanism so as to deepen their cooperation in such areas as education, science and technology, culture, political parties, think tanks and media.

Beijing and Berlin also need to step up bilateral coordination and cooperation at the China-EU level, as well as within international bodies and multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations (UN) and the Group of 20 (G20), he added.

He urged the two countries to maintain communication over hotspot issues concerning international and regional security so as to preserve world peace and stability, promote healthy world economic development, and contribute to building a community of shared future for all mankind.

China appreciates Germany for keeping up with the consensus reached at the G20 summit in Hangzhou last year, and for continuing to prioritize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and cooperation with Africa at this year's summit, he said.

"The G20 mechanism belongs not only to its members but also to the entire world," said the Chinese leader, adding that Beijing supports Berlin in making the upcoming G20 summit a success and will work with the German side to ensure the meeting achieves positive results.

For her part, Merkel said that she has read Xi's signed article published on the Die Welt, a German national daily newspaper, and agrees that Germany's cooperation with China in politics, economy, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges accords with the interests of both sides, and boasts even greater potential.

She said that the German government will resolutely stick to the one China policy, and is willing to work with China to step up cooperation in economy, trade and connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative, and exchanges in such areas as education, culture and football as well as between the two countries' youths and sister cities.

Under the current complex and volatile international circumstances, Germany and China need to jointly promote global economic growth, beef up their cooperation within the UN, the G20 and other multilateral frameworks, and strengthen coordination and communication on major global and regional issues, so as to safeguard world peace, stability and prosperity, said Merkel.

She added that Germany will continue to push forward the EU-China investment treaty negotiation and help deepen cooperation between China and the EU.

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents ranging from intelligent manufacturing and industrial Internet to digitization and panda research. They also met the press.

Xi arrived in Berlin Tuesday afternoon for a state visit to the European country, where he will also attend a G20 summit in the German port city of Hamburg.