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Chinese premier in first call with new German leader urges focus on ‘pragmatic’ outlook
- Pragmatic cooperation has been a ‘ballast’ for bilateral relations, Li Keqiang tells Olaf Scholz, floating possibility of a ‘fast track’ mutual travel corridor
- Li also voices hopes that Germany would ‘continue to make a positive impact on China-EU cooperation’
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for Sino-German relations to focus on “pragmatic” economic cooperation, as he voiced China’s willingness to consider fast-tracking two-way travel amid Covid-19 border controls.
“China attaches great importance to developing relations with Germany,” Li told Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a phone call on Monday.
“Pragmatic cooperation … which has been expanding in both depth and breadth, has been a ‘ballast’ for bilateral relations,” Li said in what was his first phone call with the new German leader.
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This abiding pragmatism could usher in new cooperation in the areas of advanced manufacturing, service trade, digital economy and climate change, he added.
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Li also said that China, which has strictly limited entry for foreigners since the coronavirus pandemic first broke out, would be willing to use “fast track” arrangements for travel between the two countries if this was deemed practicable.
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“Germany is an important member of the European Union, [we] hope Germany will continue to make a positive impact on China-EU cooperation and relations,” Li said, according to an official Chinese readout of the phone call.
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