German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (front, left)  holds a welcome ceremony for visiting Chinese Premier Li Qiang (front, right)  before their talks in Berlin, Germany, June 20, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BERLIN - Visiting Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday said China and Germany should work more closely, make more contributions to world peace and development, play the role of stabilizer in the midst of changes, and speed up the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Li made the remarks when co-chairing the seventh China-Germany inter-governmental consultation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

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

Premier Li said China and Germany should work together to deepen economic and technical cooperation, so as to set an example and lead the way in strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Europe and promoting global development

Li said that the consultation was efficient and pragmatic, and achieved fruitful results. Under the current circumstances, the two sides should seize the opportunity of green transformation and promote the upgrading of cooperation.

Li proposed that China and Germany should become partners in green development, strengthen communication and coordination on green and environmental issues, promote green energy technology development 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, Li said, saying 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.

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Scholz said the inter-governmental consultation mechanism reflects the special significance of the relations between the two countries.

The German side is willing to maintain close communication with China on all issues between the two countries and to jointly address global challenges such as climate change, food security and debt problems, he said.

Germany, Scholz said, 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 bilateral cooperation is solidly based and dynamic, and that 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 production and supply chains, which is also of great global significance.

The two sides also 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 editions of Sino-German Environmental Forum and health dialogue, and continue to deepen cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, high-tech, new energy, digital economy and humanities.

After the consultation, Li and Scholz witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of climate change response, innovation, advanced manufacturing and vocational education, and met with the press together.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivers a speech while attending the closing ceremony of the 11th China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Germany, June 20, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

When attending the 11th China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum with Scholz, Li said China and Germany should work together to deepen economic and technical cooperation, so as to set an example and lead the way in strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Europe and promoting global development.

Li said that under the current changing and turbulent situation, strengthening cooperation is the right way to mutual benefit and win-win results, and is also the right thing that we should do with all efforts.

He also noted the necessity to take economic and technological cooperation as an important cornerstone of international cooperation, grasp the trend of economic globalization, firmly support free trade, and promote the common prosperity and development of mankind.

The two sides advocated giving full play to the role of the China-Germany economic advisory committee and other mechanisms to enhance exchanges and mutual learning, and deepening cooperation in areas including innovation, digital economy and green development to achieve mutual benefit, win-win results and common development

Li said that the achievements and experience of China-Germany economic and technological cooperation are invaluable. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than 50 years ago, the two countries have carried out extensive and in-depth friendly cooperation, with the economic and technological cooperation being the most dynamic and active, and has gradually formed a new pattern of all-round and multi-field cooperation.

The key to the success of China-Germany cooperation lies in the spirit of mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences, mutual benefit and win-win, pragmatic and innovative cooperation, he added.

Scholz said that Germany will not take the path of anti-globalization, will adhere to the open policy, continue to strengthen cooperation with China and accelerate the development of bilateral cooperation after the pandemic.

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Germany is willing to solve the problems in bilateral cooperation through communication and dialogue with China, Scholz added.

Before attending the China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum, Li and Scholz attended a round table for more than 30 representatives of Chinese and German entrepreneurs.

Cooperation is the only way out and the best way to deal with difficulties and challenges, said Li, adding that the government should create a sound environment and stable expectations for companies to operate so that they can evaluate and deal with risks in accordance with market and economic laws, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results in opening up and cooperation.

From a new starting point, China will keep expanding the high-level opening up to foster a market-oriented, world-class business environment governed by a sound legal framework, Li said.

He expressed the hope that the German side will keep its market open, and create a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies to invest in Germany.

Noting that China and Germany enjoy broad space and great potential for cooperation in such fields as digital economy, artificial intelligence and green development, Li said that it is believed that with the joint efforts of the countries' entrepreneurs, China-Germany cooperation will continue to achieve new results.

The entrepreneurs attending the round table said that China and Germany are important cooperation partners, the business communities of the two countries support the policy of opening up.

They advocated giving full play to the role of the China-Germany economic advisory committee and other mechanisms to enhance exchanges and mutual learning, and deepening cooperation in areas including innovation, digital economy and green development to achieve mutual benefit, win-win results and common development.

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Prior to their consultation, Li proposed in a meeting with Scholz that tackling climate change as one of the guiding visions for China-Germany cooperation in the future, adding that 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 industry chain.

Scholz said the German side welcomes China's development and prosperity, noting that Germany rejects all forms of decoupling and "de-risking" is not "de-sinicization."

Germany is committed to developing stable relations with China and is willing to further strengthen bilateral exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and reach more cooperation consensus in addressing climate change and green development, he said, adding that Germany supports two-way investment and will provide a sound business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in Germany.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.

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

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