Chinese premier calls for strengthened dialogue with Germany at G20

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for strengthened dialogue and enhanced cooperation between China and Germany during a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held alongside the G20 summit in South Africa. According to state-run Xinhua news agency, Li emphasized the importance of the two nations working jointly to address their respective concerns while expanding practical cooperation across multiple sectors.

Economic Partnership and Strategic Communication

Noting the significant economic relationship between the two nations, Li described China and Germany as "important economic and trade partners for each other" and expressed Beijing's willingness to "enhance strategic communication with Germany." He stressed the importance of "respecting each other's core interests and major concerns" to strengthen the political foundation for bilateral relations. The two countries maintained substantial trade volumes in 2024, with China serving as Germany's second-largest trading partner with nearly €246 billion in goods exchanged.

Cooperation in Emerging Sectors

The Chinese premier specifically highlighted potential collaboration in several advanced technology fields, including new energy development, intelligent manufacturing, biomedicine, hydrogen energy technology, and intelligent driving systems. These sectors represent areas where both nations have significant industrial capabilities and strategic interests, suggesting potential for mutually beneficial partnerships that could shape future technological standards and market development.

EU-China Relations and Global Governance

Li also referenced the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, expressing hope that Germany would "help the EU to view China-EU ties from a longer-term perspective." He further proposed enhanced coordination between Beijing and Berlin within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations and G20, advocating for improved global governance, protection of multilateralism, and promotion of free trade principles.