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![Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2014 [Xinhua]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/229819760_8.jpg)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2014 [Xinhua]
Merkel is on a three-day trip to China to boost trade ties with the world’s second largest economy. Her business entourage includes top executives of Volkswagen, Siemens, Airbus, Deutsche Bank and Lufthansa, all hugely popular brands among the upwardly mobile class in China.
Li said Germany is “an important cooperative partner and he is “looking forward” to the official talks with Merkel on Monday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Li and Merkel will address a joint press conference after official talks on Monday during which the two sides are expected to sign a number of deals.
Germany is China’s largest trading partner in Europe while China is a crucial Asian market for German exports. Bilateral trade stood at $161.6 billion in 2013.
The policy-advisory body, the Sino-German Advisory Committee on Economy will meet in Beijing for the first time, with Merkel and her Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang in attendance.
Merkel last year led the opposition to the EU trade investigation into Chinese mobile telecommunication equipment.
Merkel had asserted that Germany would use its position of power within the EU to ensure that the talks with China were productive.
“We should very intensely use the next six months, and Germany will do everything to ensure that the talks will really advance,” she said.
During her stay in Chengdu on Sunday morning, Merkel attended a forum on urbanization cooperation between China’s Sichuan Province and Germany.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and top legislator Zhang Dejiang will also meet Merkel during her China visit.
Source: Agencies
