Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Munich, Germany, Feb 17, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

MUNICH, Germany - China is willing to work with Germany to understand and support each other, enhance mutual trust, strengthen collaboration, and jointly provide more stability and certainty to the world, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference this year.

Upon their meeting, the Chinese foreign minister conveyed cordial greetings from the Chinese leadership and congratulated the Munich Security Conference on its 60th anniversary as it has become an international security policy forum with global influence today.

Wang called on the two sides to eliminate disturbances, stick to opening up and free trade, give full play to the role of economic and trade cooperation as ballast stones, and provide a predictable policy environment for this

Noting that the current international situation is undergoing frequent disorders with recurring hotspot issues and a sluggish global economy, Wang stressed that China, a responsible major country, will firmly act as a force for stability in the turbulent world.

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He also noted that China supports Germany in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs.

Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Germany all-round strategic partnership, Wang said the two sides should review the success in the past, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and pursue complementarity of advantages so as to benefit the two peoples.

China is focusing on advancing Chinese modernization, upholding high-quality development and pushing forwards high-level opening up, Wang said, adding that the march toward modernization of more than 1.4 billion people would bring an even greater market and long-term opportunities for all countries including Germany.

Wang called on the two sides to eliminate disturbances, stick to opening up and free trade, give full play to the role of economic and trade cooperation as ballast stones, and provide a predictable policy environment for this.

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Scholz asked Wang to convey his sincere greetings to the Chinese leadership and said that Germany is ready to prepare for high-level exchanges with China this year and promote more substantive achievements.

The German economy is deeply integrated into globalization and its development benefits from free trade, Scholz said, adding that the German side opposes protectionism, and decoupling and severing of supply chains.

Germany is glad to see China's development and revitalization and is willing to provide a sound business environment in Germany for companies from other countries, he said.

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Noting that the current international situation is undergoing a difficult moment, Scholz said Germany is willing to work with China to play a positive role in maintaining peace and stability.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) meets with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Munich, Germany, Feb 17, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

'No fundamental conflict of interest'

Wang also met with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Saturday, saying that China stands ready to work with Germany to stay clear of disruptions, build more consensus, and understand and support each other on issues related to their respective core interests.

The Chinese foreign minister said there is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and Germany and their common interests are continuously strengthening and expanding.

Baerbock said that the world is facing conflicts and challenges, Germany and China should enhance cooperation in areas of common interests, demonstrate international responsibility, properly handle areas where there are differences and meet each other halfway

He also said that faced with the changes and uncertainties in today's world, China and Germany, as two major countries and important engines of global economic growth, should maintain exchanges and enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust, to advance the China-Germany ties along the right path, making their contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity.

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This not only serves the interests of both countries but also brings benefits to China, Europe, and the entire world, he added.

Over the past year, bilateral exchanges at all levels have been fully restored and cooperative mechanisms have been gradually activated, especially the successful holding of a new round of inter-governmental consultation, Wang said, adding that cooperation in various fields has achieved new results.

Baerbock said that the world is facing conflicts and challenges, Germany and China should enhance cooperation in areas of common interests, demonstrate international responsibility, properly handle areas where there are differences and meet each other halfway.

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Germany is willing to work with China to effectively implement the outcomes of the Germany-China inter-governmental consultation, carry out consultation on regional affairs and strengthen cooperation on such issues as addressing climate change and facilitating unimpeded international trade routes, she said.

The two sides also exchanged views on other issues including the Gaza conflict.