Visiting German President Johannes Rau on Friday pledged to
promote comprehensive cooperation with China.
In a speech delivered at Tsinghua
University, Rau said China is German's most important trade
partner in Asia and Germany has become China's largest trade
partner in Europe.
He said bilateral trade volume has seen a remarkable increase in
recent years and still has huge potential for growth.
Two-way trade last year reached US$27.8 billion, almost 100
times as much as the US$273 million in 1972 when the two countries
established diplomatic ties.
Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday agreed with Rau at the meeting that
the two countries should further consolidate economic
cooperation.
"The impact of China's reform since 1980s has gone far beyond
the economic field, exerting comprehensive influence over
Germany-China relations," Rau said in the speech delivered through
interpreters.
More than 100,000 Chinese tourists visited Germany last year
alone and China has become a hot tour destination for Germans.
He said currently over 14,000 Chinese are studying in Germany
and studying in Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing has become a helpful
qualification for German college students looking for well-paid
jobs in the industrial sector.
"These young people, reflecting our mutual interests in each
other, will secure our mutual understanding and friendship in the
future," Rau said.
Pan Xiaobin, an undergraduate with the Industrial Engineering
Department of Tsinghua, said he is looking forward to studying
advanced technology in Germany, as his department has a
student-exchange program with a German university.
In response to a student's question on whether Germany will send
troops to Iraq, Rau said Germany should not do that, though it is
willing to help in the rebuilding of Iraq.
Wu Bangguo, top legislator on Friday, at a separate meeting with
Rau, said the two countries should expand parliamentary exchanges
as well.
(China Daily September 13, 2003)