Stronger China-Germany partnership for a better world

by Xinhua writer Zhong Ya

BEIJING -- As the world is wrestling with a host of daunting global challenges, China and Germany, two major countries in the world and champions for multilateralism, not only need to boost their practical cooperation, but also have on their shoulders great responsibilities to sustain world peace and development.

In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed bilateral ties, and vowed to further strengthen all-round strategic partnership between the two sides, demonstrating a continuity of their mutually beneficial cooperation over the past half century, which features ample vitality, endurance, resilience and potential.

The two important economies in the world are witnessing a sound development of their trade and investment ties. China has been Germany's largest trading partner for five consecutive years, and bilateral economic and trade cooperation has kept growing despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with two-way trade amounting to around 248.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, according to official statistics.

German carmakers are heavily invested in joint ventures with Chinese companies, such as Daimler with Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd, BMW with Brilliance Auto Group and Volkswagen with Shanghai-based SAIC Motor, only to name a few, becoming a prime example of their prospering investment ties.

In the future, the two sides should give full play to the role of bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, and particularly make good use of their intergovernmental consultation mechanism, so as to promote cooperation in various fields.

Meanwhile, the two countries should also actively explore new areas of cooperation such as new energy and green and digital economy, and unleash the growth potential of trade in services.

As a "bellwether" of the China-European Union (EU) cooperation, sustained China-Germany cooperation will continuously inject momentum into steady development of China-EU relations.

Given their status as two major independent forces with broad strategic consensus and common interests, China and the EU have their major roles to play in a world undergoing major transformations rarely seen in a century.

Germany, as one major driving force in Europe, is also an important node of the China-Europe Railway Express. Enhanced cooperation between China and Germany within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative will benefit countries along the route and promote connectivity of the Eurasian continent.

In talks with Xi, Scholz expressed the hope that the EU-China investment agreement will enter into force at an early date, and said Germany is ready to work with China to uphold multilateralism in international affairs.

Sustained China-Germany cooperation will make new contributions to world peace and development. In the past, the two countries have maintained close cooperation in confronting such global challenges as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, and close communication on such regional affairs as Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue, shouldering their due responsibilities in global governance.

Looking forward, the two countries should continue to uphold the principle of democracy in international relations and firmly oppose all forms of hegemonic behavior and Cold War mentality.

Only by increased coordination and cooperation on international affairs can the two countries find practical solutions to problems concerning the shared future of mankind, such as fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, spurring post-pandemic economic recovery across the globe, tackling climate change, alleviating poverty, and achieving sustainable development.

With the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries coming next year, China and Germany are expected to strengthen communication and cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual trust. A steady China-Germany relationship will surely become a robust force to underpin global stability and growth.