Vitality of relationship rises above the noise
China Daily | Updated: 2024-04-19 07:19
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz concluded a three-day trip to China on Tuesday. He brought with him a large delegation of businesspeople and ministers, and they visited Chongqing, Shanghai and Beijing, which gave them the opportunity to feel the pulse of China's dynamic and promising economy.
The two sides both support free trade and economic globalization and are willing to jointly respond to global challenges. They have similar positions on many important issues and can work together to inject more stability and certainty into the turbulent global arena.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of an all-round strategic partnership between China and Germany. For a long time, Sino-German relations have been at the forefront of China's relations with Western powers. Leaders of both sides maintain close communication. Mechanisms such as consultations between the two governments and high-level dialogues in strategic, financial and other fields are operating effectively. This ensures the continued cooperation between China and Germany, and promotes the stable development of China-European Union relations.
Despite the de-risking trend in the EU, Scholz's latest visit to China indicates that the foundation of China-Germany relations remains stable, and the German government's overall China policy remains rational and pragmatic. Whether it is dealing with the challenge of its own economic slowdown or resolving the crisis in Ukraine, Germany has no reason not to seek to strengthen economic cooperation and strategic coordination with China.
China's development is by no means a threat to Germany and Europe, and cooperation between the two sides carries far more weight than competition and differences. This is the basis for enhancing strategic mutual trust. Under this premise, China and Germany should let economic and trade cooperation continue to play the role of "ballast" in bilateral relations.
During Scholz's visit, both sides expressed their opposition to protectionism and expressed their expectations that cooperation would be strengthened in traditional fields such as machinery manufacturing and automobiles, as well as emerging sectors such as the green economy, digitalization and artificial intelligence. This points out the direction for China and Germany to expand their economic cooperation.
CHINA MEDIA GROUP