On the evening of 3 June, President Xi Jinping spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the phone.
Noting this is his third phone conversation with Merkel since the onset of COVID-19, Xi welcomed the strong mutual trust and close strategic communication between them. He commended the German government for its objective, rational and science-based approach to COVID-19 response.
Xi emphasized that China stands ready to work with Germany to support WHO, promote international cooperation in the UN and the G20, and shore up Africa's COVID-19 response, so as to enhance global public health security.
Xi stressed the importance of coordinating COVID-19 response and economic and social development. He said that the fundamentals that underpin China's stable economic outlook in the long run remain unchanged. China will be steadfast in advancing economic openness and cooperation with the rest of the world, and continue to foster an enabling environment for German investment.
Xi said that the recently realized "travel bubble" between the two countries will facilitate the reopening of businesses and contribute to the stability of global industrial and supply chains. He expressed confidence that China-Germany cooperation help toward pulling the world economy out of recession at an early date.
Xi said that China will build on the stable and sound bilateral cooperation and keep up dialogue and exchanges with Germany.
Welcoming Germany's EU presidency later this year, Xi praised Germany's commitment to China-EU relations, and expressed readiness to step up strategic cooperation with Germany and the EU to uphold multilateralism, tackle global challenges and provide certainty to an uncertain world.
As to the ongoing discussions on important China-Germany and China-EU leadership interactions, Xi noted that China will stay in close contact and coordination with Germany and the EU, to ensure the success of those events and take the relationships to new levels.
Merkel said that Germany pays close attention to China's economic and social plans laid out at the Two Sessions. Germany stands ready to work with China to resume business activities and deepen economic engagement on the basis of regular COVID-19 containment measures. She hailed Xi's announcement to see COVID-19 vaccines being developed by China as a global public good.
Merkel noted that under the current circumstances, enhancing international solidarity and multilateralism is of vital importance to the global fight against the virus. Germany will strengthen exchanges with China, continue to support the critical role of WHO, and promote international cooperation for public health security.
Merkel also expressed Germany's readiness for dialogue and wide-ranging cooperation with China. She said that Germany will stay in close touch with China to advance important bilateral and EU-China agenda and take forward the relationships.