Premier's visit to Berlin aims for a deeper innovation partnership

Beijing and Berlin should further promote liberalization and facilitation of trade, and jointly safeguard the rules of the World Trade Organization, Premier Li Keqiang said on May 31.

Li, in his third visit to Germany as premier, made the remarks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel while they were co-chairing the annual meeting of heads of the Chinese and German governments.

Li noted that the current international situation poses many uncertainties, and there is a rise of anti-globalization and protectionism.

In such a context, China and Germany should continue upholding mutual respect and treating each other on equal footing, enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation and promote communication, Li said.

Both countries should take the stability of China-Germany relations and bilateral cooperation to deal with the external uncertainties, and jointly issue positive signals of stability, cooperation and development for the region and the world, Li said.

Merkel said that in the current international situation, it is important to maintain close high-level dialogues between Germany and China.

On bilateral cooperation, Li said the potential for cooperation is huge, and China is willing to better synergize its Made in China 2025 plan with the German Industry 4.0 initiative.

China is ready to deepen cooperation in areas such as manufacturing, energy, aviation and innovation, as well as cooperation of small and medium-sized enterprises, Li said.

Bilateral trade amounted to $151.2 billion (135 billion euros; ￡117 billion) last year, and Germany remains China's biggest trade partner within the European Union.

Last year, China for the first time became Germany's biggest trade partner in the world, Assistant Minister of Commerce Li Chenggang said at a briefing on May 27.

In his talk on May 31, the premier called on Germany to help the China developed large passenger plane C919 get an air worthiness certificate from the European Union. Airworthiness is the measure of an aircraft's suitability for safe flight.

The twin-engine C919 made its debut flight on May 5 in Shanghai with five crew members on board but no passengers. The success makes China the fourth jumbo jet producer after the United States, Western Europe and Russia.

Merkel said Germany is a reliable partner for China. The bilateral relationship for robust and their cooperation is good, she said.

Germany is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas including trade and investment, finance, new energy automotive, healthcare and culture, she said.

On the European Union, Li said China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners, and China has always supported the process of Europe's integration and is willing to see a consolidated, prosperous and stable Europe, which will help promote world multipolarization and economic globalization.

Merkel added that Germany speaks highly of China's supporting Europe's integration, and it hopes that the 19th China-EU leaders' meeting could yield outcomes.

During the Germany trip, Li and Merkel were scheduled to meet on several occasions, witness the signing of various cooperation documents and meet the media together.

They also were to attend and address a forum on innovation cooperation and have a dialogue with businesspeople from both sides.

The premier also was to meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Berlin was the first leg of Li's three day Europe tour, which also was to take him to Belgium.

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

Xinhua contributed to this story.

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