Munich, February 15, 2025 – The Europe Today: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Germany to uphold free trade and multilateralism during a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, highlighted the frequent high-level engagements between the two nations, noting that the positive trajectory of bilateral cooperation serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both peoples.
Amid the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, Wang emphasized the importance of a multipolar world and called for strengthened solidarity and coordination between China, Germany, and the European Union (EU) to uphold free trade, promote multilateralism, and reinforce the authority of the United Nations.
Recognizing Germany’s status as a major European power with global influence, Wang expressed China’s willingness to deepen comprehensive cooperation with Germany, enhance bilateral relations, and contribute to global peace and stability in an increasingly volatile world.
As 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties, Wang underscored the need to deepen practical cooperation and explore avenues for a new phase of bilateral relations. He also expressed appreciation for Germany’s pragmatic stance on EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, hoping that Germany would continue to play a constructive role in resolving China-EU economic and trade frictions.
Chancellor Scholz reiterated Germany’s commitment to fostering strong relations with China through enhanced exchanges, dialogue, and multilateral strategic cooperation. He firmly opposed protectionism and tariff wars, advocating for a constructive approach in resolving economic disputes such as the EU’s proposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
The two leaders also discussed the Ukraine crisis. Wang outlined China’s stance on promoting a peaceful resolution and emphasized the shared goal between China and the EU in achieving long-term stability in Europe. He stressed the necessity of building a balanced, effective, and sustainable European security framework and expressed China’s readiness to maintain communication with Germany and other stakeholders to facilitate peace talks.
Earlier in the conference, Wang also held talks with Friedrich Merz, chairman of Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), where both sides agreed to further advance bilateral cooperation.
The discussions in Munich reaffirmed the shared commitment of China and Germany to fostering stronger ties, addressing global challenges through multilateral collaboration, and ensuring stability in international trade relations.
