German President Steinmeier urges China's Xi to reduce trade surplus
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Friday. Reuters-Yonhap
Beijing — German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to seek a reduction in the high foreign trade deficit with his country during a meeting on Friday, the last day of his four-day state visit to China.
"We want close trade and economic relations with one another. And in such a way that they bring sustainable benefits to both sides," Steinmeier said during a meeting in Beijing with Xi that prominently featured the issue of the deficit of almost €90 billion ($100 billion) last year.
Germany and China have highly dynamic economic relations with each other, Steinmeier said. "With so much dynamism, it is natural that we have to review the framework conditions again and again."
At an earlier meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, Steinmeier had expressed confidence that the two countries can resolve any trade disagreements.
A recent deal on limiting hybrid car exports to the European Union showed that even where things were difficult "there is a way to find solutions," Steinmeier said.
"We are coming with the intention of maintaining and strengthening the framework for good economic exchange between our two countries," he added.
When there were problems, Germany would work "to solve them together with you through dialogue," he said.
Steinmeier said China remained important as Germany's largest trading partner and praised the country's "breathtaking pace" in technological and economic development.
Li called Steinmeier a "long-time and good friend" of China.
Germany's president holds a largely ceremonial role but frequently speaks on foreign policy and international affairs.
Xi welcomed him with military honours in front of the Great Hall of the People, including a 21-gun salute.
In his opening statement for the talks with Xi, Steinmeier said that China's economic power, its technological capability, and its political influence have grown immensely.
"I have respect for that. At the same time, we both bear responsibility for an international order, for the conditions under which states in this world maintain and shape their relations; we both bear responsibility for the common rules under which we live together."
China and Germany have profited for many decades from this international order, which is based on rules and law, Steinmeier said.
"But today we are experiencing in many places around this world how this order is coming under pressure, how rules are being broken, how we are experiencing a development in which the right of the stronger seems to prevail."
Steinmeier recalled the crises and wars in the Near and Middle East, in Sudan and in Ukraine. He appealed to Xi to work together to preserve and strengthen the foundations of the global order. "The world needs China to be committed to preserving this order."