Li’s German visit supports free trade
Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Berlin late on Sunday to start his fourth visit to Germany as premier, a trip that aims to uphold free trade and multilateralism, and promote cooperation in emerging industries such as self-driving vehicles and artificial intelligence.
The premier is scheduled to meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and co-chair the fifth China-Germany intergovernmental consultation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday.
Li and Merkel will witness the signing of a large number of agreements in multiple fields, particularly in emerging sectors such as self-driving vehicles, smart manufacturing and artificial intelligence. They will also attend the China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum and a selfdriving vehicle exhibition.
Li’s visit is another highlevel exchange trip between China and Germany, following Merkel’s visit to Beijing in late May, when the two leaders advocated multilateralism and free trade.
Germany has been China’s biggest trading partner in Europe for 43 years, and China is now Germany’s largest trading partner globally, so there is great potential to be tapped, Li said in a signed article published by a leading German newspaper, the Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung, on Saturday.
With great expectations for his visit to Berlin, Li said the intergovernmental consultation, the first after both countries formed new cabinets in March, is expected to plan and coordinate bilateral cooperation for the next four to five years.
After 40 years of reform and opening-up, China is striving for high-quality development and to build a better business environment to attract investments from all over the world, Li said.
Over the past five years, China imported goods worth $470 billion from Germany and this year lowered the market access threshold in finance and automaking for foreign investors.
China has been committed to building an inviting business environment and treats domestic and foreign companies equally, the premier said. The two countries should strengthen cooperation in self-driving and new energy vehicles, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and other emerging industries, Li said.
However, China lags behind Germany in investment in the other’s market. Li called for two-way openingup between the two countries. Germany should regard Chinese companies as trustworthy partners and give them equal treatment, he said.
China has been following World Trade Organization rules and fulfilled the promises it made when joining the organization, Li said. Chinese companies are required to abide by market and business rules and should rectify their actions that are not in line with these rules, he said.
Facing rising unilateralism and protectionism, China and Germany, as two major economies, have the responsibility to safeguard free trade and multilateralism and build a peaceful, stable, and open world, Li said.
China supports European integration and wants to see a united, stable and prosperous EU, Li said. China would like to work with Germany on reaching a China-EU investment treaty as early as possible and start negotiations on a China-EU free trade zone, sending a positive signal of both sides in boosting trade liberalization and investment facilitation, Li added.