Li Qiang and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Co-chair the Seventh China-Germany Inter-governmental Consultation and Hold Talks

On the morning of June 20, 2023 local time, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz co-chaired the seventh China-Germany inter-governmental consultation at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin.

Premier Li and Chancellor Scholz heard reports on the progress of China-Germany cooperation in relevant fields from the responsible officials of 22 departments including foreign affairs, economy and trade, industry, finance, justice, transport, education, science and technology, health, environmental protection and development.

Li Qiang said that the consultation was efficient and pragmatic, and achieved fruitful results. Under the current circumstances, China and Germany should join hands and cooperate more closely to contribute more to world peace and development, play the role of "stabilizer" in the changing situations, and accelerate the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The two sides should seize the opportunity of green transition and promote the upgrading of cooperation. The Chinese side proposed that China and Germany become partners in green development, strengthen communication and coordination on green and environmental protection issues, promote the research and development of green energy technology and industrial technology upgrading, and deepen cooperation in such fields as new energy vehicles, green finance, and third-party markets. China and Germany should adhere to a pragmatic and open attitude to better achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. The two countries should also strengthen cooperation in global economic governance, ensure the stability of international industrial and supply chains, and promote an early recovery of the world economy.

Scholz said the inter-governmental consultation mechanism reflects the special importance of Germany-China relations. The German side is ready to maintain close communication with the Chinese side on all issues between the two countries and jointly address global challenges such as climate change, food security and debt problems. Germany and China have close ties in economy and trade as well as two-way investment. Germany has no intention to decouple from China, and is ready to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with China to promote world development and prosperity.

The two sides agreed that China-Germany cooperation enjoys a solid foundation and is full of vitality. It is in the interests of both sides to deepen cooperation at a higher level, with higher standards and higher quality, and to jointly maintain the stability of the global industrial and supply chains, which is also of great global significance. The two sides agreed to set up a dialogue and cooperation mechanism on climate change and green transition, hold the third China-Germany High-Level Financial Dialogue as well as new meetings of China-Germany Environment Forum and health dialogue, and continue to deepen cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, high technology, new energy, digital economy, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

After the consultation, Premier Li and Chancellor Scholz jointly witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents in such fields as climate response, innovation, advanced manufacturing and vocational education, and met the press together.

Prior to the seventh China-Germany inter-governmental consultation, Li Qiang held talks with Scholz.

Li Qiang pointed out that the economic and trade cooperation between China and Germany has been developed for more than half a century, and it is not easy for the two sides to achieve today's results, which have brought tangible benefits to the two peoples. Li expressed the hope that the German side will continue to keep an open mind, uphold independence, and properly handle relevant issues on the basis of international rules and by taking the spirit of contract as a principle to follow. The two sides need to vigorously improve the facilitation of personnel exchanges and strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Chinese side proposed tackling climate change as one of the guiding visions for China-Germany cooperation in the future. The two countries should promote cooperation in green technology and industry, and explore the establishment of a rational and orderly division of labor in the green energy industrial chain.

Scholz said that Germany welcomes China's development and prosperity, rejects all forms of decoupling, and "de-risking" is not "de-sinicization". Germany is committed to developing stable relations with China and is ready to further strengthen bilateral exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and reach more cooperation consensus with China in fields like climate response and green development. Germany supports two-way investment and will provide a sound business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in Germany.

The two sides also had an exchange of views on international and regional issues of mutual interest and concern.

Before the talks, Scholz held a grand welcome ceremony for Li Qiang at the square in front of the Federal Chancellery. With a military band playing the national anthems of both countries and Chinese and German national flags flying high, Li Qiang, accompanied by Scholz, reviewed the guard of honor.

Wu Zhenglong, among others, was present at the above events.