Germany Ready to Remain China's Partner, Says Steinmeier

Beijing, October 30: Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on a visit to China, spent time at Peking University, where he gave a speech on Chinese-German cooperation. He later joined students in the university's gymnasium, playing table tennis and chatting energetically with both Chinese and foreign students.

In his address, Steinmeier offered strong praise for China's swift development in many areas. He called the country's innovation achievements "unprecedented" and said that Germany stands ready to remain a partner to China on its path forward.

He noted that Europeans welcome China's development. Pointing to the economic and commercial relationship between the two sides, he argued that its history demonstrates the advantages of free and fair trade for everyone involved.

Steinmeier said, "We do not want to cut ties with China, and we hope that trade will continue to move forward toward mutual benefit." He stressed that any partnership can endure only when it rests on shared gains and cooperation in which both parties succeed.

The German president also expressed his pleasure at bilateral cooperation in several fields, including climate change and the fresh challenges arising from the growth of artificial intelligence. "I believe China leads in artificial intelligence research and development, and German companies are willing to cooperate with China," he said.

He further mentioned his visit to a Volkswagen joint venture facility in Anhui province. He observed that German and Chinese researchers were working together on computers, jointly developing software modules needed for new cars, including applications of artificial intelligence.