Chinese premier arrives in Berlin for official visit

Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Berlin on Wednesday at the start of his official visit to Germany, which will highlight cooperation around innovation and which came at the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Chinese premier Li Keqiang arrives in Berlin for his official visit to Germany May 31st, 2017.   [Photo/Xinhua]

Li and Merkel will meet several times, and hold the yearly meeting between the two heads of government. The leaders will attend a forum on innovation cooperation and talk with business executives from both countries.

Upon his arrival, Li said his visit to Germany will "consolidate and develop bilateral ties, bringing the China-Germany relationship to a new height, which will also contribute to global stability and growth".

He said China and Germany should enhance communication and cooperation, particularly at a time when growth in the global economy remains sluggish and trade protectionism is growing.

During his stay, Li and Merkel will jointly witness the signing of a number of documents and meet the press. In addition, Li will speak at a China-Germany forum on innovation.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. Ties between the countries have developed steadily, Li said.

Gu Junli, a German studies expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said: "The synergy of the Made in China 2025 strategy and Germany's Industry 4.0 campaign is likely to be a major topic of the premier's meetings.

"Germany is seeking intelligent manufacturing, while China is trying to deeply integrate manufacturing with the internet, to have the power of the market improve the pattern and quality of the manufacturing industry," Gu said.

The nations' different approaches provide a huge opportunity for cooperation, and Li's visit is expected to expand and deepen the cooperation, he added.

Gu said key areas of cooperation may be renewable energy and environmental protection, both growing pillars of German industry.

Shi Mingde, China's ambassador to Germany, welcomed Li at the airport, along with high-level officials from the German government.

Shi said in an interview before Li's visit that 8,000 German companies are operating in China, with a total investment of more than 60 billion euros ($67 billion), while nearly 2,000 Chinese enterprises operate in Germany. Those companies will be a key part of advancing cooperation.

Two strong nations joining hands will have an impact far beyond their boundaries, Shi added.

He cited the potential for German involvement in construction projects that will be started under the Belt and Road Initiative. The initiative incorporates the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and aims to increase infrastructure connections between Asia, Europe, and other areas.

Shi also mentioned the possibility of Beijing and Berlin jointly influencing the establishment of global standards for intelligent manufacturing.

The innovation forum that Li will attend is expected to offer a platform for the forging of new, innovative ways to cooperate in fields including smart manufacturing, electric vehicle technology, and innovation by young people, he said.

Hubertus Troska, a member of Daimler AG with special responsibility for China, said the trends of connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing, and electric mobility are revolutionizing the auto industry, "perhaps nowhere faster than in China".

Li Xiaokun and Zhou Wa in Beijing contributed to this story.