Li Keqiang Speaks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the Phone

On the afternoon of January 17, 2022, Premier Li Keqiang had a phone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Ziguang Pavilion of Zhongnanhai leadership compound at the latter's request.

Li Keqiang once again congratulated Scholz on his appointment as German Chancellor. He said that China and Germany are both major economies and responsible countries in the world, and both are supporters of multilateralism and practitioners of free trade. Bilateral cooperation not only benefits the two countries, but is also in the interests of China and Europe and the world at large. China highly values the development of China-Germany relations. President Xi Jinping recently had a phone conversation with Mr. Chancellor to jointly promote the development of bilateral relations. China is willing to work with Germany to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties this year as an opportunity to further consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen dialogue and exchanges and uphold two-way opening-up so as to further achieve mutual benefit and win-win results and promote China-Germany relations steady and sustained prosperity.

Li Keqiang stressed that China-Germany practical cooperation has been further deepening and expanding, playing a "ballast stone" role in bilateral relations and bringing benefits to the two peoples. China is willing to hold a new round of China-Germany intergovernmental consultations with the German side as soon as possible, so that this "super engine" of China-Germany pragmatic cooperation can upgrade bilateral cooperation. He hopes that both sides will tap into the cooperation potential in advanced manufacturing, trade in services, digital economy and climate change so as to cultivate new growth drivers for China-Germany cooperation. The more than 2,000 Chinese enterprises in Germany and the more than 7,000 German enterprises in China are the backbone of the bilateral cooperation. The Chinese and German governments need to stay committed to creating a fair, non-discriminatory and favorable environment for these enterprises to invest and do business. He hopes that the German side can treat Chinese enterprises with a more open mind. China is willing to work with Germany to continue to make good use of the "fast track" for personnel of the two countries to better facilitate the personnel exchanges between the two sides on the basis of effective pandemic prevention and control.

Li Keqiang pointed out that China and the European Union (EU) are two important forces on the world stage and share extensive common interests. The two sides should approach bilateral relations from a long-term and broader perspective, uphold dialogue and cooperation as the dominant aspect, respect each other and treat each other as equals, and promote the steady and sound development of China-EU relations. Noting Germany is an important member of the EU, he hopes that the German side will continue to play a positive role in the development of China-EU cooperation and relations.

Scholz said that Germany highly values Germany-China relations, and adheres to the one-China principle. He hopes to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Germany-China diplomatic relations as an opportunity to promote the further development of bilateral relations. Germany is ready to work with China to make good preparations for a new round of consultations between the two governments, further deepen cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, climate change and pandemic prevention and control, and make full use of the "fast track" for personnel exchanges. The German side has been and will always be committed to promoting the sound development of EU-China relations, and he hopes that the EU-China investment agreement will enter into force at an early date.

The two prime ministers also exchanged views on strengthening China-Germany cooperation in multilateral fields and international and regional issues of common concern.

Xiao Jie and He Lifeng also attended the above activity.