“At least there are signs for a format of talks that will bring the necessary participants together”.
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Hollande added that Germany and France, two of the most important industrial powerhouses in Europe, should lead the way in making the bloc a digital “trendsetter” worldwide.
China, one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s major allies along with Russian Federation, has repeatedly said that the West needs to engage with the embattled Syrian leader.
“We hope that we can put together these suggestions, and particularly through the United Nations, this organization, advance the resolution of the Syria issue”, Li said, adding China would continue to play a “constructive role”. Western countries claim that Russian Federation is propping up Assad’s regime by targeting moderate rebels fighting against Assad’s forces.
Merkel is under intense pressure over her handling of a wave of refugees in Germany, mainly from Syria and Afghanistan.
China has committed to buying Airbus jets worth $17 billion during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The deal is described as “one of the largest orders that China has ever placed” with Airbus.
Additional agreements included a strategic cooperation between the German engineering company Voith and the China Three Gorges Corporation, which built the massive dam on the Yangtze River.
In Merkel’s last visit to China in July 2014, Li took her for a casual stroll at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
China and Germany have witnessed all-around and rapid development of their relations in recent years, the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries has achieved fruitful results, Shi said. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told a press briefing yesterday that President Xi Jinping and top legislator Zhang Dejiang will also meet with Merkel.
Merkel’s business delegation also includes new Volkswagen chief Matthias Mueller, who is expected to speak about the carmaker’s emissions scandal. Merkel said she was “very happy” to know that Xi had paid such a fruitful visit to Britain, stating: “We welcome competition that is conducive to the promotion of business”.
When Li took office as prime minister in March 2013, Merkel was the first foreign leader to call and congratulate him.
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According to Michael Clauss, Germany’s ambassador to China, Merkel and Li will discuss the progress and next steps of the Sino-German partnership, especially in the manufacturing sector, as both Germany’s “Industry 4.0” initiative and China’s “Made in China 2025” initiative aim to create sustainable progress.
