Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrives in Germany on first state visit amid ‘more chaos and changes’
- Li will attend inter-government and business talks aimed at ‘properly handling differences’ with Berlin, according to Chinese state media
- Premier will visit Bavaria, home to global brands such as Adidas, Allianz and Audi, before travelling to France for Summit for a New Global Financing Pact
He will also meet German business leaders during the trip and visit companies in Bavaria – the largest state in Germany and home to global brands such as sportswear manufacturer Adidas, insurance giant Allianz and carmaker Audi.
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“The Chinese side is ready to engage in frank and in-depth exchanges with the German side based on the principles of mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences,” Li was quoted as saying on arrival in the German capital.
He stressed the importance of “carrying forward their traditional friendship” and “overcoming challenges” as the world witnesses “more chaos and changes”.
The last round of joint government consultation was conducted online between former Chinese premier Li Keqiang and former German chancellor Angela Merkel about two years ago – making this the first in-person intergovernmental talks since 2018, as well as the first between the two current governments.
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During Li’s six-day trip to Europe, he will also travel to France and attend the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact on Thursday and Friday.
The long-planned state visit came after the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Scholz in November and followed the “major consensus” agreed by the two country leaders, Li said.
During the meeting, Xi said bilateral cooperation should extend from traditional areas to emerging fields such as new energy, artificial intelligence, and digitalisation while emphasising opposition to bloc confrontation.
Scholz was the first leader of a Western country to visit China after the pandemic and has insisted that Germany should not decouple from China.
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Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin offered a muted response the following day, saying “China-Germany relations have come a long way and delivered fruitful results” in the past few decades.
“It is all the more important that China, Germany and all other countries and actors engage in mutually beneficial cooperation with an open and inclusive mindset and work together for world peace and development,” he said.
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