Wang Yi urges dialogue in call with German minister
On.cc · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke by phone on Monday, September 21, with German Foreign Minister Wadephul at the latter's request, with trade tensions between China and the European Union featuring prominently in the exchange. Wang said China and the EU should not fight a trade war, while Germany said it supports resolving differences through dialogue and is willing to play a constructive role.
Key Points
- Wang said unilateralism and anti-globalisation pressures make it necessary for China and Germany to strengthen strategic communication, build mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation.
- He said China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners and urged Germany to help the EU uphold free trade, reject protectionism and stick to open cooperation.
- According to Wang, an important consensus reached in the call was to resolve China-EU economic and trade issues through dialogue and consultation
- Wang also said he hopes Germany will adhere to the one-China principle and help create conditions for high-level bilateral exchanges and stability in the Taiwan Strait
- Wadephul said Germany's one-China policy remains unchanged, Berlin wants closer high-level exchanges and a new round of intergovernmental consultations, and supports EU-China dialogue to properly handle differences.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the call points to continued efforts by Beijing and Berlin to keep China-EU trade disputes from escalating, which matters for a city closely tied to regional trade and cross-border business flows. The exchange also suggests that economic issues are being handled alongside wider diplomatic concerns, including Taiwan, Iran and the war in Ukraine