Merkel meets Chinese Premier, major deals signed

World Today

Germany has hammered out a series of major business deals with China, during Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit in Beijing. She meets Premier Li Keqiang this morning, with the two countries pledging more cooperation in cyber security. Han Peng takes a look. This is Angela Merkel’s seventh visit to China as German Chancellor.

Welcomed by Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing, her presence was welcomed in solemnity and warm hospitality.

Trade surfaced at the top of the agenda for both sides. Merkel is accompanied by what the media has termed a “super-star business delegation”, including top executives from large multinationals Volkswagen, Siemens, Airbus and Deutsche Bank.

Aside from the talks, the two leaders oversaw the signing of six major business deals–ranging from the automobile industry to electronics, aviation and alternative energy.

These six deals signed are just a very small part of a series of Sino-German trade cooperation programs. The two countries will continue to secure a series of business cooperation projects.

The two countries said they would channel more focus and resources to new energy.

Talks also touched on cyber security. Merkel says her country opposes hacking activities made by the US on German companies and against her own personal privacy.

Premier Li says that both China and Germany are victims of cyber-attacks, and called for cooperation with Germany for security in the cyber realm.

Merkel’s visit this week also coincided with the 77th anniversary of the beginning of China’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Invasion, This was a major part of the second World War, for which Germany long ago made amends.

Angela Merkel has recently kept a high frequency in the meetings with Chinese leaders. The Sino-German relations, as state-owned Xinhua News Agency puts it, are at their all-time best. Many believe Merkel’s visit this time is not just for pragmatic cooperation, but also a show of her determination to continue the current momentum of friendly relations. CCTV’s Han Peng reports.

Merkel meets Chinese Premier, major deals signed

Germany has hammered out a series of major business deals with China, during Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit in Beijing. She meets Premier Li Keqiang this morning, with the two countries pledging more cooperation in cyber security. Han Peng takes a look. This is Angela Merkel's seventh visit to China as German Chancellor.