In a short while, the leaders of our two countries will visit China just within days of each other. This occurrence could not have come at a better time. Germany and France have both been China’s comprehensive strategic partners for many years. However, never before have our respective partnerships with China been more relevant to addressing pressing issues not only in Europe and Asia but well beyond. No other two countries in the world coordinate their policies more closely than France and Germany in particular within the European Union.

Our action on climate today will determine our common future

France and Germany are convinced that the world has to gradually engage on the path of a deep decarbonization.

In December, Paris will host the COP21 Conference, which will define the international framework of action to reconcile everyone’s aspiration to prosperity with the natural limits of our planet. Our goal is to build together a Paris Alliance for Climate enabling us to limit the planet’s average temperature rise to less than 2ºC above pre-industrial levels.

So far 149 countries, among them China, have presented their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), which specify national efforts to mitigate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These contributions, coming from developed as well as developing countries, represent more than 87% of world GES emissions. Even if these efforts are probably not sufficient to put the world on the track of a 2°C rise of the temperature, they are the sign of the firm determination of the international community to have a universal agreement adopted in Paris. However, it is clear that to win the battle against climate disruption, we all will have to gradually increase our level of ambition.

World crises challenge the global order

France and Germany are key players in the quest for solutions to several of the world’s most dangerous crises.

The situation in Ukraine has brought confrontation with Russia and the very real risk of falling back into patterns of the Cold War. The effects have been felt in the region but also in Asia. Germany and France are driving the discussions with Ukraine and Russia in the so-called Normandy format. We welcome China’s support to find a political solution.

The disastrous civil war in Syria and the terrorist onslaught especially by ISIS on Syria, Iraq and other countries are not just a regional problem, they are a challenge to humankind as a whole. The advance of terrorism in the Middle East with its ensuing instability makes itself felt in Europe and Asia. We share common concerns regarding the deteriorating situation in Syria. With a view to finding a political solution and to addressing the huge humanitarian crisis and its root causes we both encourage China to play an active and positive part, in line with the UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura’s efforts.

These are but two examples on a much longer list of hotspots which all need cooperation between France, Germany and China. Sustainable development will be a key. France and Germany welcome President Xi’s commitments in New York on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations both on development and security and to the United Nations Charter, which enshrines the equality of all nations, big and small.

Key economic and technological partners

France and Germany are both founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Not only that: Our combined capital contribution of around 8% makes us by far the strongest non-Asian partner. We coordinate amongst ourselves closely and are looking forward to the bank’s first projects based on strong governance.

China supports a strong and prosperous European Union, its first trading partner in the world. France and Germany acted in close coordination to find an acceptable outcome to the Greek crisis and to restore confidence in the Euro. For both our countries, the European unification process and the Euro are non-reversible. We will further step up cooperation with China to promote the internationalization of the Renminbi.

Looking at the Chinese economy, we are confident that China continues to have enormous potential for growth, which will be unlocked in the coming years if China commits itself vigorously to further opening up and market-oriented reforms, including in the state sector. In this perspective, France and Germany fully support the negotiations towards an ambitious and truly comprehensive Sino-European bilateral agreement on investment.

China’s success will depend crucially on technological upgrading. Germany and France combined probably are China’s most important international partners in its modernization drive. Roughly 200 billion Euros in trade with China in 2014 marked a new record, almost four times as much as China’s trade with any other EU country. We are leaders in sectors which are crucial to China’s “Made in China 2025” blueprint for innovation. Germany has its “industry 4.0.” and France its “industry of the future”, covering a wide range of key areas from next generation of transportation to the internet of things, including machine tools, robotics, business software, high-tech chemicals, medicine for the future, digital safety, data economy, healthy and customized food. And we do not only trade but build up manufacturing, research and development within China. Airbus for example has moved faster than any competitor to move manufacturing and development to China.

Our partnerships will endure

Our partnerships with China go far beyond the political and economic sphere. Today, many more Chinese are studying French or German and visit our countries, and vice versa than only a few years ago. Almost 20.000 young French and German students are studying in China, holding the two top spots amongst EU nationals. When it comes to learning foreign languages and studying or working abroad, the Chinese saying - which has its exact corollary in both French and German - “not to put all eggs into the same basket” is a particularly wise tenet. Our strategic partnerships with China are here to stay and will continue to flourish.

Michael Clauss is the German Ambassador to China, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne is the French Ambassador to China.

Views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors.