China, Germany issue joint statement, vow to deepen cooperation

China and Germany have agreed to deepen cooperation and coordination in various fields, according to a joint statement issued Sunday during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Germany. China and Germany are willing to join hands with other countries -- in the spirit of mutual benefit and win-win results -- to deepen coordination and cooperation so as to contribute to world peace and prosperity, the statement said. Both sides reiterated they will respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the other, devote themselves to settling regional and international disputes and conflicts through peaceful means, continue to deepen Europe-Asia integration and help better build an international order based on the principles of justice and rationality, said the statement. The two sides are willing to increase mutual understanding of each other's development path, deepen political mutual trust and promote the stable development bilateral relations. China and Germany agreed to keep broadening their various cooperative mechanisms, the statement said, noting a new round of bilateral intergovernmental consultations will be held in Germany in 2014. The two sides believe that the synchronous and coordinated development of industrialization, informatization and urbanization in China will provide new opportunities for development of Sino-German and Sino-EU ties and inject fresh impetus into the world economy. They decided to implement their urbanization partnership, further enhance the bilateral cooperation in such areas as agriculture, forestry, grain, consumer protection, food safety and eco-labelling. The also decided to establish a ministerial dialogue mechanism to reinforce guidance on agricultural cooperation. Both sides spoke highly of their close partnership in environmental protection, climate and support to the UN climate talks, decided to strengthen cooperation in the fields of air purification and sustainable consumption, and pledged to spare no efforts to increase energy efficiency and develop renewable energies. China and Germany vowed to further deepen cooperation in the field of electric cars, including jointly carrying out the demonstration and application of such vehicles. Both sides decided to continue to deepen the dialogue on finance and economy involving the two finance ministries, and the dialogue between the two countries' central banks. To promote cooperation in investment, China announced the launch of a Chinese chamber of commerce in Germany, while Germany welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest and create jobs in Germany in the spirit of mutual benefits, said the statement. Both sides supported China and the European Union to negotiate an investment agreement to increase investment opportunities. China and Germany pledged to further strengthen extensive economic cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and each side would provide national treatment for the other's companies based on its soil. Both sides voiced opposition to trade protectionism, promising to settle the disputes on solar power and mobile telecommunication equipment through dialogue. They called for strictly abiding by the rules set by the World Trade Organization and supporting the multilateral trade system of fairness and justice. Meanwhile, they pledged to push for an early conclusion of the Doha round of trade talks. According to the statement, the two sides lauded the various mechanisms sponsored by the governments and social organizations from both countries, which facilitate an exchange of thousands of students every year between the two countries. Both vowed to continue their support for these measures to further promote youth and cultural exchanges. The two premiers together launched the "Year of Languages" program between China and Germany, an initiative to encourage the two peoples to study each other's language. Both sides believe that China and the EU are important strategic forces on the world arena and cooperative partners in promoting world peace, prosperity and stability. The two countries will continue to intensify constructive cooperation to promote the development of China-EU relations and jointly cope with such global challenges as energy and natural resource security, climate change, environmental protection and food security. China appreciates Germany's role in solving the euro-zone debt crisis, as well as the large-scale stabilizing measures taken by EU members, while Germany appreciates China's constructive attitude and contribution to solving the crisis, said the joint statement. Both sides agreed that it is necessary for them to maintain and deepen consultation and cooperation on major international and regional issues. They also exchanged views on the international situation, including the Iranian nuclear issue and the situation in Syria, and pledged to continue to carry out constructive pragmatic cooperation in the multilateral spheres, such as the United Nations. Merkel has accepted Li's invitation to visit China as early as possible, said the statement. Li arrived here Saturday for an official visit to Germany, the last leg of his first overseas trip as China's premier, which has already taken him to India, Pakistan and Switzerland.