Vice Premier calls on China, Germany to oppose to trade and investment protectionism

Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Thursday called for more convenient market environment as well as more rational and amicable media environment to boost Sino-Germany two-way investment.

Liu made the remarks in a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier during the seventh Hamburg Summit "China Meets Europe".

Liu called on China and Germany to jointly oppose to trade and investment protectionism.

"We hope that Germany, as a core member state of the European Union (EU), exert significant influence on issues like pushing EU to fulfil its obligations under Article 15 of the Protocol on China's accession to the World Trade Organization as scheduled, bringing positive energy for the development of China-Europe relations," said Liu.

The Chinese Vice Premier also called for the further coordination and promotion from both sides in exchanges and cooperation of science and technology, education, culture, tourism, youth issues as well as football, in order to advance the sustainable and stable development of relations between China and Germany.

Steinmeier, for his part, said Germany will continue to welcome investment from Chinese enterprises.

He believes both sides can properly handle differences through dialogues, making sure that bilateral relations between Germany and China continue to move forward smoothly.

In addition, the two sides agreed to promote establishment of Sino-Germany high-level cultural exchange mechanism as soon as possible.