German relations prized
Green and digital industries ‘ important’ stabilizers
Germany and China could accelerate their mutual opening- up process to maintain the sound momentum in bilateral trade and investment relations, Chinese analysts said on Wednesday, as the vital talks for a China- EU bilateral investment treaty ( BIT) enter the final phase.
There is growing political will in Beijing and Berlin that the two largest economies, respectively in Asia and Europe, will keep opening- up to each other, which will create even greater benefits for both peoples.
Chinese experts suggest both governments remove barriers to trade and investment. And, Germany is asked to offer an open environment for Chinese enterprises, as the country is reportedly mulling an information security bill that could add more regulatory constraints on Chinese telecom equipment suppliers, such as Huawei Technologies.
The bill is seen as a reaction by Berlin to US politicians’ call for a socalled “clean network” that excludes
Chinese companies such as Huawei.
Zheng Chunrong, a professor of German Studies at Tongji University in Shanghai, told the Global Times while the bill is not explicitly worded to target at Huawei, it is important that China and Germany both move in a positive direction.
“Germany is always asking China to open its market wider, and it would be unacceptable for China if Germany moves to shut its doors to selected Chinese companies,” Zheng told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Despite the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, China’s economic relations with Germany and the EU have continued to grow.
Zheng said as the two countries both have the ambition to develop their green and digital economies, and are partners in such fields, those sectors are expected to serve as vital connections in future cooperation.
Chinese experts advocate Germany should ramp up its efforts to facilitate negotiations of the China- EU bilateral investment treaty to conclude as soon as possible.
Recently, China has sent a strong signal to the world by announcing its intention to favorably consider joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership.
Experts said Germany, as the leading economy of EU, will play an important role in concluding the BIT talks and reaching a final agreement within this year, or risk pushing the timeline out by a few years.
Cui Hongjian, director of the Department for European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday that there are still sticking points on issues of market access, labor protection and environmental protection, which could jeopardize the deadline that will arrive in about one month.
The deal, which will inject certainty and a framework into bilateral investment relations amid the headwinds of anti- globalization and unilateralism, will require the two sides to meet each other halfway if it is to be completed, Cui said, noting that “the deal could still be concluded before the year’s end.”