Xi Jinping moves to cement China-Germany ties in first phone call with Olaf Scholz

After wasting no time in congratulating the new German leader, Chinese president stresses partnership in initial conversation

Xi also urged the chancellor to ‘play an active role’ in stabilising Beijing’s relationship with the European Union

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Germany’s new Chancellor Olaf Scholz have had their first phone call. They are pictured here in 2017 in Hamburg. Photo: DPA

Published: 11:00am, 22 Dec 2021Updated: 3:02pm, 22 Dec 2021

China and Germany should continue to see each other as partners, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the new German chancellor Olaf Scholz in their first phone call, amid heightened tensions between Beijing and the EU.

Hailing Chinese relations with Germany as the “bellwether” in navigating China’s overall cooperation with Europe, Xi also on Tuesday urged Berlin to “play an active role in stabilising the relationship between China and the European Union”, according to state news agency Xinhua.

“China and Europe are two independent and autonomous global powers with broad strategic consensus and common interests,” Xi said in his first phone conversation with Scholz since the latter took over from Angela Merkel two weeks ago.

“Both sides should adhere to the positioning of a comprehensive strategic partnership … to ensure the healthy and stable development of China-Europe relations at all times,” he added.

Xi reminded Scholz that China had been Germany’s largest trading partner in each of the past five years, and the two countries significantly benefited from each other’s economic development. He added the two sides could work together in emerging areas, including new energy and the green and digital economies.

Without naming the US, Xi said China and Germany should further their collaboration in international affairs, including the fight against the pandemic, a fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, as well as post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change and poverty alleviation.