Chinese premier vows to promote exchanges with Germany

BERLIN - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged on Monday to promote the exchanges between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and German political parties.

Li, who is on an official visit to Germany, made the remarks at a meeting with Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) President Sigmar Gabriel and the party's chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrueck.

The Chinese premier congratulated the 150th anniversary of the SPD and conveyed greetings of Xi Jinping, General Secretary of CPC Central Committee and Chinese President.

Over the years, the SPD has contributed to promoting China-Germany ties and has pushed forward the development of bilateral ties and inter-party relations, Li said.

China is willing to strengthen exchanges with the SPD, and to enhance the understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially between the youths of the two countries, jointly push forward the party-to-party relations and bilateral ties, and create a brighter future for China-Germany relations, he said.

Gabriel and Steinbrueck noted that the German side felt honored for being chosen as one of the destinations of Li's maiden foreign trip as Chinese premier.

The SPD is always committed to pushing forward China-Germany relations and is willing to strengthen exchanges with the CPC, expand political, economic and regional communication and cooperation, and deliver more accomplishments for bilateral ties, they said.

Gabriel and Steinbrueck voiced opposition to the European Union (EU)'s anti-dumping and anti-subsidy probe into imports of Chinese solar panels.

It will also hurt the interests of German and European enterprises and affect local employment and social stability, which is detrimental to EU-China relations and global free trade, and thus is firmly opposed by the SPD, they said.

Gabriel and Steinbrueck hoped the EU and China could reach consensus as soon as possible through dialogues and negotiations with positive attitudes.

Germany is the last leg of Li's four-nation tour, which has already taken him to India, Pakistan and Switzerland.