Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) attends a welcome ceremony held by German Chancellor Angela Merkel before an annual meeting between the heads of the two countries' governments in Berlin, Germany, May 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday wrapped up his fruitful official visit to Germany, with the two countries reaching broad consensus over a series of regional and global issues and pledging to jointly promote and enrich bilateral cooperation. [Special coverage]
During the two-day stay, Li and his German counterpart Angela Merkel conducted effective and fruitful discussions and witnessed the signing of a host of cooperative documents, which will further consolidate ties between the two countries.
BROAD CONSENSUS ON TRADE, INVESTMENT LIBERALIZATION
At the annual meeting between the two heads of government, a mechanism launched in 2004, Premier Li called for joint efforts with Germany to promote trade liberalization and investment facilitation.
In face of global uncertainties, anti-globalization sentiment and rising protectionism in the world, China and Germany should continue to promote trade liberalization and investment facilitation and safeguard the regulations of the World Trade Organization, Li told Merkel on Wednesday in Berlin.
Li said China hopes the two countries could work together to offset global uncertainties with a stable bilateral relationship, so as to send positive signals to the world that China and Germany will maintain the course of trade liberalization and investment facilitation.
For her part, Merkel said Germany is willing to work with China to make joint contributions to the building of an open global economy as well as the maintenance of free trade.
On Thursday, Li and Merkel made an announcement in a joint press conference that the two countries have agreed to speed up negotiations on an investment agreement between China and the European Union (EU).
The investment deal will benefit the two-way opening-up and equality between the Chinese and EU markets, and improve the mutual trade and investment scales of the two sides.
As major trading partners for each other, it is necessary for China and the EU to discuss the feasibility of the establishment of a free trade zone, Li urged.
Germany attaches great attention to the EU-China investment treaty, Merkel said, adding that the signing of the treaty will be a good start of negotiations on an EU-China free trade agreement.
