Xi meets Scholz via video link

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz via video link on Nov. 3, 2023. [Xinhua/Li Tao]

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz via video link.

Noting China-Germany relations have entered the second 50 years, Xi said that China and Germany, as all-round strategic partners, had worked together in the spirit of mutual benefit and grown together in the spirit of mutual learning and exchange.

"This is the valuable experience of the smooth development of China-Germany relations over the past decades, which should be cherished and passed on by both sides," Xi said, describing China-Germany cooperation as open and pragmatic, which has been continuously enriched and developed.

The two countries have established a dialogue and cooperation mechanism on climate change and green transition, Xi said, noting that the first dialogue should be held at an early date to deepen cooperation on climate protection, green transition, environmental governance, and biodiversity conservation.

He also urged joint efforts to strengthen exchanges among young people, localities and sister cities, and to facilitate personnel exchanges.

China is pursuing a Chinese path to modernization with high-quality development and promoting the common development of the world with high-level opening-up, Xi said.

Xi added that, not long ago, China promulgated 24 policies to optimize the environment for foreign investment. He also announced major steps such as lifting restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector and further advancing high-standard opening up in cross-border service trade and investment, at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

"These measures will provide greater opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Germany," Xi said.

He said that more than 130 German companies will participate in the sixth China International Import Expo, which has shown the confidence of German companies in China's development.

It is hoped that the German side will also adhere to a high level of openness toward Chinese enterprises seeking cooperation opportunities in Germany, Xi said.

Scholz said that over the past year, a new round of Germany-China governmental consultations has been successfully held, dialogue and exchanges at all levels have been rapidly resumed, economic and trade relations have become closer, and cooperation projects have been continuously promoted, showing more possibilities and broad prospects of deepening bilateral relations.

Germany-China relations are significant to the German side, he said, noting that the German side is willing to continue the good relation and deepen cooperation in various fields, and hopes that German enterprises will achieve greater success in China.

Germany is willing to facilitate visa and personnel exchanges with China, enhance people-to-people exchanges and promote the positive development of EU-China relations, he added.

Scholz introduced the views of the German side on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Ukraine crisis, and expressed the hope of maintaining close communication with China.

Xi pointed out that to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Ukraine crisis, it is necessary to think more deeply about security issues, adhere to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and promote the building of a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture.

Squeezing the security space of other countries and supporting one side while ignoring the legitimate demands of the other side will lead to regional imbalance and the expansion and escalation of conflicts, said Xi.

He said both China and the European side should work together to mediate conflicts, ease tensions and play a positive role in promoting regional peace and development.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz via video link on Nov. 3, 2023. [Xinhua/Huang Jingwen]