China’s Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, expressed China’s willingness to work with Germany on the economic and trade fronts during a joint news conference with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock. He emphasized that the two countries are partners, not adversaries, and that putting the brakes on normal economic and trade cooperation would be counter-productive.
Optimizing Trade between China and Germany
As two of the world’s leading economies, China and Germany have an established trade relationship. In 2020, Germany was China’s largest trading partner in Europe, with a total trade volume of $259.1 billion, up 3.5% from the previous year. Furthermore, China was Germany’s largest trading partner globally for the fifth consecutive year, with a total trade volume of $212.1 billion, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.
As China recovers from the pandemic, it is looking to boost economic growth through increased trade and investment with its partners worldwide. In light of this, China’s willingness to work with Germany on the economic and trade fronts provides a valuable opportunity to further strengthen the already solid trade relationship between the two countries.
Respecting the One-China Principle
Qin also addressed the situation with Taiwan during the news conference. He emphasized that if countries want to respect the One-China principle, the proper move is to resolutely oppose Taiwan independence. China views Taiwan as its own territory, and any support for its independence is considered a threat to China’s sovereignty.
China’s Military Drills
Recently, China conducted military drills around Taiwan, stating that they had tested integrated military capabilities under actual combat conditions. The drills included practising precision strikes and blockading the island. While some countries have raised concerns about the military drills, China has maintained that they are part of its routine military training.
China’s Role in the Ukraine Issue
Regarding Ukraine, Qin expressed China’s willingness to continue working for peace and hoped that all parties involved in the crisis would remain objective and calm and work together. He emphasized that China’s proposition is to persuade and promote talks, and that China would not do anything to add fuel to the fire.
In conclusion, China’s willingness to work with Germany on the economic and trade fronts offers a valuable opportunity to strengthen their existing trade relationship. As China recovers from the pandemic and looks to boost economic growth, this partnership will be critical. Moreover, China’s stance on Taiwan and Ukraine reflects its commitment to maintaining peaceful relations with its neighbours and working towards global stability.
