Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) shakes hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a welcoming ceremony for Merkel before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 13, 2016. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
China and Germany pledged stronger cooperation in the fourth round of intergovernmental consultation held during Chancellor Angela Merkel's China visit.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Merkel co-chaired the consultation here on Monday, in which officials from 26 governmental departments of both countries reported on the latest cooperative progress in their fields.
STRATEGIC COOPERATION
According to a joint statement for the consultation, the two countries will work on a political settlement in Syria, strengthen dialogue on Afghanistan issue, work under the G20 framework on sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy, and continue to promote China-EU relations.
Cooperation will be expanded in education, tourism and media, with more youth exchanges focused on soccer.
The two sides will create a fair and open environment for two-way investment, and work more closely in intelligent manufacturing, finance, automobile manufacture, information technology and aviation.
They will explore cooperation in third countries, such as Afghanistan where they plan to help train mining engineers and work on disaster prevention and relief. China's cooperation with the European Union on the Belt and Road and an Asia-Europe transportation corridor will support high-speed railway cooperation in third-country markets.
Li said the two sides should raise China-Germany comprehensive strategic relations to a new high and create sound environment for the recovery of the world economy.
After the consultation, Li and Merkel witnessed the signing of more than 20 cooperation deals, covering areas including trade, energy, education, and agriculture.
Li said China-Germany relations are important to China-EU relations. He called on the upcoming leaders' talks between China and the EU overcome obstacles to trade and investment.
Merkel echoed Li saying she hoped the China-EU leaders' meeting would achieve new results.
China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang also met Merkel on Monday afternoon.
Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, called on legislative bodies of the two countries to learn from each other and provide a good legal environment for cooperation.
Merkel expressed willingness to promote the exchanges between the NPC and Germany's Federal Assembly.
