By Yang Cheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-27 17:32

Germany and China should join hands to push their partnership of shared responsibility to new heights.

Michael Schaefer, the new German Ambassador to China, praised the bilateral relationship between the two countries, adding: "The present relationship between the two countries goes far beyond economic exchange. We have enormous opportunities in strategic partnership in a wide range of areas."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited China last year not long after taking office, Premier Wen Jiabao visited Germany in August 2006, and President Hu Jintao went to Germany in June for the G8 Outreach Summit are all signs of close bilateral cooperation.

"The leadership on both sides place great importance on our mutual cooperation," said Schaefer, who worked as Political Director in the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the last five years and has taken part in many foreign affairs negotiations with China.

"The Chinese and German civil society and business circles are showing stronger interest in each other," he said. Schaefer cited the successful third Sino-German Strategic Dialogue Forum from July 9 to 11 in Berlin, aiming to expand cooperation between the nations.

Ambassador Schaefer hopes the two nations can make joint efforts to meet future challenges and tap the enormous opportunities ahead.

"I hope to contribute my bit to try to help Germany and China address global issues together, such as energy security and environmental protection or foreign policy and security challenges," he said.

In the framework of the Heiligendamm process, kicked off at the G8 summit meeting in June 2007, the two nations will cooperate to address climate change and work together to reach sustainable solutions, bilaterally as well as multilaterally.

China and Germany should work together to push forward the important Post-Kyoto framework, and to help build the foundations for worldwide sustainable development, the ambassador noted.

The UN's Post-Kyoto framework should be put on track at a conference in Bali in December 2007, and the two nations as important participants from Europe and Asia can significantly impact the framework, resulting in a sustainable, long-term protection of the environment.

"Apart from this, we hope to continue to make key areas such as energy security, including issues like water management, top priorities," he said.

The two nations' cooperation on global security, such as the North Korea and Iran nuclear issues as well as the situation in Sudan and other African security issues, are also important areas of concern.

"Both nations are active players and stakeholders in global security. Germany is supporting China to play an active role in finding lasting solutions to such challenges," he said.

"We are fully aware of China's philosophy of a harmonious society and world, and we need to find a balance between interests and responsibility," he said. "We are committed to finding win-win situations."

High on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's agenda on her visit to China is the launch of the three-year cultural campaign, "Germany and China - Moving ahead together".

A concert will be held in Zhongshan Music Hall tonight to kick off the event and celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Sino-German diplomatic relationship.

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