Sino-German strategic partnership to further intensified

The Sino-German strategic partnership has been further intensified and expanded in the year 2011, Chinese Ambassador to Germany Wu Hongbo told Xinhua in a recent interview prior to China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin's visit to Germany. The frequent, high-level mutual visits between China and Germany have pushed forward progress of political, economic, cultural and other cooperations steadily, and strengthened the communication and coordination on key international and regional issues, he said. This year has featured frequent mutual visits between the leaders of China and Germany, as Vice Premier Li Keqiang visited Germany at the start of the year, followed by the first round of bilateral minister-level strategic dialogue between German vice-chancellor and foreign minister Guido Westerwelle and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during Westerwelle's visit to China three months later. In June, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his German counterpart Angela Merkel co-chaired the first round of China-Germany inter-governmental consultation. Attended by more than 20 ministers from both sides for 8counterpart conversation on a wide range of topics, the consultation wound up with substantial accomplishments. It was the first time China had ever established such a high-level inter-governmental negotiation mechanism with a European Union (EU) country. In addition, both countries have also carried out active and effective cooperations on global economic governance reform, handling of climate changes, nuclear safety and many other international issues. "The two countries have signed some 20 documents on bilateral cooperations and important economic agreements, involving over 15 billion U.S. dollars," Wu said. A wide range of common ground were established, including the establishment of strategic partnership in producing electric-powered automobile, expanding cooperations in tapping new energy, environmental protection, energy saving and energy efficiency-improvement, according to him. Furthermore, China has earmarked some two-billion-euro worth of special loans to sustain the cooperations among the medium- and small-sized firms of the two countries. The two sides have also set up a standardization cooperation committee to work together to probe into and draw up the international standard, and intensify the cooperation in the field of accreditation, in addition to mapping out 5-year agricultural cooperative plan, expanding the innovative cooperative platform in life sciences, founding the professional education cooperation league and model partnership among higher learning institutes, as well as exchanges in hospital management. "So far, all these cooperations are making steady headway and are gradually fulfilled," the ambassador said. Referring to the Sino-German economic and trade cooperations, Wu said that the trade volume between the two countries in 2010 reach 142.4 billion dollars, accounting for almost 30 percent of that between China and the whole EU, which is of special significance particularly against the backdrop of a looming recession overshadowing world economic prospect and the escalating eurozone debt crisis. The bilateral trade volumes has totaled up to 127 billion dollars during the first nine months of the year, according to the ambassador, expressing his belief that it is convincing that the Sino-German trades are sure to scale new height, not to mention the reciprocal investment that has gained strong momentum. Wu stressed that China and Germany, both are important economies and large exporters in the world, and claim as the mutual biggest trade partners in respective regions, on account of that, both countries share extensive common and interests and solid foundation to further cooperation, adding that both sides should walk hand in hand to promote the all-around and sustainable development of the economy, not only for both countries but also for the whole world, and turn against whatsoever forms of trade and investment protectionism. He also pointed out that China and Germany have conducted very active interchanges in terms of human and culture, sciences and technologies as well as education, exemplifying that Chinese-German Year of Science and Education program was held successfully last year, as up to 45 universities in Germany held "China Week" simultaneously, which is unprecedented. "The project entitled 'Germany and China -- Moving Ahead Together' concluded with success at the Shanghai World Expo and thus tremendously enhanced mutual understanding and friendships between the two peoples," Wu said. China will continue to invite some 200 German middle school students to take part in the summer camp in China this year, while the Year of Chinese Culture will be held in Germany next year to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, as all the preparatory works are fully underway, the ambassador said. Wu said that the two sides attached great importance to the visit of Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). "During the visit, Jia will meet a number of prominent political and business figures in Germany, including German President Christian Wulff, and convey the supports by the Chinese government and people to EU countries' action in dealing with the eurozone debts crisis," Wu said. The visit will inject new vitality to Sino-German relations by increasing common agreements and friendships, while intensifying mutually-beneficial cooperations in various fields, said Wu.