Li calls for closer China-Germany business cooperation

Visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday encouraged German enterprises to expand cooperation with Chinese counterparts for win-win results.

China will stick firmly to the policy of reform and opening-up, Li said at a welcome banquet hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, during which they held in-depth talks on furthering bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

China, Li said, welcomes more investment from German enterprises and also encourages Chinese companies to scale up their business in the European economic powerhouse.

Noting that China's economy is in a transitional period, Li said that only by persistently pursuing upgrading, reform and innovation and further opening up market potential can China achieve sustained and healthy development.

The Chinese government, he said, treats equally all companies registered in China, whether they are Chinese or foreign enterprises, and provides them with a level playing field.

The premier also urged foreign companies to localize their production and operation in China, noting that localization will help them gain larger market shares.

Meanwhile, he pointed out, the Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting intellectual property rights, a task demanded by China's own development.

It is China's strategic decision to pursue innovation-driven economic development, the premier said, adding that combining China's market with Germany's technologies will create huge impetus for both countries' development.

Li urged the two sides to view bilateral ties from a strategic perspective and deal with their problems properly.

Noting that the European debt issue is yet to be fully resolved, Li voiced his hope that Europe could overcome difficulties and stabilize the eurozone economy as soon as possible.

China-Germany cooperation, boasting decades of successful experiences, has become the frontrunner of China-Europe cooperation, he said, calling on the two sides to create new bright spots in bilateral cooperation and further advance China-Germany and China-EU relations.

For her part, Merkel said that China and Germany are each other's important trading partner and their economies each have their own advantages.

Against the backdrop of a grim global economic situation, she added, the two countries should tap further into their cooperation potential, and build a more favorable environment for bilateral business cooperation, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Germany is the last leg of Li's ongoing foreign trip, which has already taken him to India, Pakistan and Switzerland.