Xi pledges joint efforts with Germany to safeguard multilateralism, open economy

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dec. 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday that China is ready to make joint efforts with Germany to safeguard multilateralism and an open world economy.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the 13th summit of the Group of 20 (G20) in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.

He pointed out that the development of China-Germany relations has maintained sound momentum and the two sides have carried out frequent high-level exchanges.

As all-round strategic partners, China and Germany have seen ever closer cooperation in multilateral institutions and in global affairs, Xi said.

He said China is ready to maintain close cooperation with the German side to make contributions to promoting world peace and stability.

Xi stressed that China and Germany should stick to mutually beneficial and win-win results.

China has unswervingly expanded opening-up and announced since the beginning of the year a series of new measures in opening up its market, Xi said.

Xi said he has noticed that many German companies are among the first to benefit from the new opening-up policies in their respective areas.

He called on the two sides to tap their advantages and push for higher quality and higher level of China-Germany cooperation.

China, Xi said, sees Germany as its important partner in Belt and Road construction and is ready to work with the German side to boost connectivity between Asia and Europe.

As the world's major economies and important trading nations, China and Germany should continue to jointly safeguard free trade and oppose protectionism, Xi said.

China is ready to work with Germany to safeguard the international system with the United Nations at the center and tackle various global challenges, he added.

Merkel, for her part, hailed the sound development of the Germany-China ties, saying that the two countries have maintained high-level exchanges and seen smooth advancement of communication and cooperation in various fields.

Merkel said she is delighted to see that German enterprises are benefiting from China's further opening-up.

Germany is willing to deepen practical cooperation with China in various fields and expand third-party market cooperation in infrastructure construction, skills training and other areas, she said.

The German port of Duisburg is participating more in projects of the Belt and Road Initiative, Merkel said.

Germany appreciates China's commitment to multilateral cooperation and resolves to uphold the Paris Agreement on climate change, she said.

Faced with complicated and ever changing international situation, Germany and China should carry out closer communication and coordination, Merkel said, adding that her country supports Europe and China to strengthen cooperation and is willing to play a greater role in this respect.