Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday held talks with visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Beijing.

Noting that China attaches great importance to ties with Germany, Li said China is ready to work with the German side to promote the stable and sound development of China-Germany relations on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to add more impetus to the global economy and better safeguard regional and global peace and stability.

Li said that economic and trade cooperation is the bedrock of bilateral relations, and that China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Germany in areas such as trade and investment, manufacturing and COVID-19 response, and work toward a cooperation mechanism to act on climate change. 

For his part, Scholz said Germany does not advocate decoupling, and that Germany is ready to work with China to overcome the impact of COVID-19, deepen cooperation and facilitate personnel exchanges to further promote the development of bilateral ties.

The two sides exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern, including the Ukraine crisis, pledging efforts to maintain world peace and regional stability.

When meeting with the press, Li said that under the current circumstances, China and Germany should enhance strategic mutual trust, adhere to two-way opening-up, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, promote bilateral relations, and use the stability of China-Germany relations to promote the stability of international relations and the world economy.

"China and Germany have far more common interests than differences," Li stressed, noting that the two sides have agreed to increase exchanges and communication in various fields, and promote cooperation on key projects.

Li said China will continue to foster a market-oriented and law-based international business environment to develop China into a high ground for opening-up and a hot destination for foreign investment. He said that companies from all over the world are welcome to invest in China.

For his part, Scholz said Germany is ready to have candid dialogues with China, enhance mutual trust, expand cooperation in key areas, promote the establishment of a cooperation mechanism to tackle climate change, jointly address challenges in food security, energy security and the ecological environment, and make positive efforts to safeguard world peace and stability.

(Cover: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds a ceremony to welcome German Chancellor Olaf Scholz prior to their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, November 4, 2022. /Xinhua)