At the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao, German Chancellor
Angela Merkel began a three-day official visit to China
yesterday.
It is Merkel's first trip to China since she was sworn into
office in November last year as her country's first female
chancellor.
Leaders of the two countries are due to exchange viewpoints on
the further development of the China-Germany relationship, as well
as on a wide range of major international and regional issues of
common concern including UN reform, the Iran nuclear stalemate, the
EU arms embargo against China, and intellectual property rights
(IPR) protection.
The two nations are also expected to reach agreements and sign
contracts on cooperation projects during Merkel's visit to
China.
The China visit will also bring the German Chancellor to
Shanghai this evening, where she will attend the fourth meeting of
the China-Germany High-Tech Dialogue Forum.
"The real landscape of China's economic and social developments
that Merkel is seeing during the visit will help make clear her
government's foreign policy toward China," said Lian Yuru, a
professor at the School of International Studies in Peking
University.
The face-to-face meetings and talks with Chinese leaders, which
will help enhance understanding and mutual trust between the two
sides, will help lay the foundation for all-round cooperation
between China and Germany, according to Lian.
"Merkel's visit also continues the frequent high-level exchanges
between the two countries in recent years and is a result of
deepened bilateral ties," said Su Hao, a professor at the Foreign
Affairs College.
Bilateral ties have steadily developed since the two nations set
up diplomatic relations in 1972.
The two countries have maintained frequent high-level exchanges
since the first visit to China by then Chancellor of the Federal
Republic of Germany Helmut Schmidt in 1975.
Despite the leadership changes experienced by the two countries
in the past decades, China and Germany have never stopped their
high-level exchange visits or the pursuit of cooperative
policies.
Meanwhile, close cooperation has also been built between their
congresses and government departments.
The two nations have also set up a regular mechanism for mutual
visits between their foreign ministers and for political
consultations at various levels.
The regular channel for high-level exchanges and meetings has
enhanced mutual trust between the two countries.
As two influential powers in Asia and Europe, China and Germany
have consistently attached great importance to developing ties with
one another.
"The steady development of political ties between the two
nations should be attributed to the common and similar ground both
countries share on a series of important international and regional
issues," Su said. "There is no major political controversy between
them."
Both advocate democratization of international relations and
insist international disputes be resolved in a peaceful manner.
China extended its firm support to Germany's efforts for
national reunification, and Germany has also firmly abided by the
one-China policy and refrained from arms sales to Taiwan.
The two countries also insist that differences on the human
rights issue should be settled through dialogue instead of
confrontation.
Given their ever-growing influence in Asia and Europe, China and
Germany have no reason not to value bilateral ties.
"Despite differing perceptions on some issues because of their
different social systems, ideologies and values, the two nations
are well aware that these differences should not get in the way of
a smooth relationship," said Su.
"It is expected that during her visit to China, Merkel, out of
some domestic pressures, will raise the IPR and human rights issues
to Chinese leaders, but she may possibly speak in a moderate
manner," Lian Yuru said.
Prior to her China tour, German industry groups urged Merkel to
press the Chinese government to crack down more aggressively on
piracy.
"However, it is important that the two countries clearly
acknowledge the other's importance on their respective continents,"
Su said.
This perception and shared ground will help the two nations
shelve differences and coordinate a mutual stance to seek
cooperation on a series of major issues.
A smooth political relationship has always been an important
factor in driving forward bilateral economic and trade ties.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1972, the two
countries have made substantial economic achievements.
The bilateral trade volume in 2005 reached US$63.2 billion,
accounting for nearly one-third of the trade volume between China
and the EU bloc.
Germany is by far China's largest EU trading partner. And China
has been Germany's biggest Asian trading partner since 2002.
For a long time, Germany has been China's most important target
for technological cooperation in Europe. Also, the country has long
been one of the world's major development aid providers to
China.
In addition to their prospering cooperation in the political and
economic realms, China and Germany have also had exchanges and
fruitful cooperation in the fields of culture, education, high
technology, environment, sport and military.
Bilateral cooperation in developing magnetically levitated
trains, for example, is a new development for the China-Germany
relationship. The two nations have together made breakthroughs in
the Shanghai magnetically levitated train project.
Due to her previous political stances, some analysts had
misgivings about the China policy of Merkel's government following
her electoral success. People worried about whether or not the new
government would alienate itself from China.
Merkel dispelled these misgivings, however, by remarking at a
press conference following her election that she would maintain the
continuity of her predecessors' foreign policy toward China during
her term in office, and promote her country's relations with
China.
And President Hu Jintao's state visit to Germany last November,
which further consolidated the bilateral strategic partnership,
once again lifted confidence in the smooth future of Sino-German
relations.
Merkel's visit will further enhance mutual trust and consolidate
existing common ground between the two countries.
(China Daily May 22, 2006)
