Xi, Merkel mark path ahead in phone call

President Xi Jinping spoke by telephone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday, saying China and Germany should set an example of win-win cooperation.

Xi extended his congratulations to Merkel on her fourth election as German chancellor, and Merkel congratulated Xi on his election as Chinese president by a unanimous vote on Saturday at the ongoing session of the 13th National People’s Congress.

Xi said China and Germany should set an example of winwin cooperation, align their strategies, plan for mutually beneficial cooperation, push forward cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and achieve common development.

The two countries should also lead the development of China-European Union relations, and play constructive roles in promoting China-EU strategic mutual trust and cooperation, he added.

The two countries should become advocates for a new type of international relations and be dedicated to maintaining economic globalization and multilateralism. They should support free trade, oppose trade protectionism and strengthen cooperation within the Group of 20. Jointly, they should maintain and improve the international order and the economic governance system, Xi said.

China and Germany should be cooperative partners despite ideological differences, Xi said. They are partners, not rivals, he added. The development of one side will bring opportunities, not challenges, to the other.

Relations will go far, so long as the countries adhere to equality and mutual respect, understand and care for each other’s core interests and major concerns and properly control and handle their differences, Xi said.

Merkel said Germany’s new government is committed to developing closer ties with China. It will strengthen highlevel contacts and institutional dialogue and boost cooperation in various fields.

Germany has always supported the Belt and Road Initiative and regarded it as a strategic bridge for Eurasia, she said, adding that Germany will contribute to the joint construction of the initiative through project cooperation.

The German chancellor also said Germany backs deeper EU-China relations, and will step up its cooperation with China within the framework of multilateral forums.