Joint press statement on the occasion of the first German-Chinese strategic dialogue on foreign and security policy:

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi, and Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held the first German-Chinese strategic dialogue on foreign and security policy in an amicable and cooperative atmosphere in Berlin on 19 December 2015. The two Ministers engaged in open and intensive discussions on bilateral and international issues of mutual interest and reached the following agreement on expanding and intensifying the cooperation between China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Germany’s Federal Foreign Office:

1. The foreign ministries will intensify their dialogue on supporting Afghanistan – including efforts to facilitate an intra-Afghan process of peace and reconciliation. They will continue to assess joint projects to strengthen regional cooperation. Moreover, joint projects to support reconstruction in Afghanistan will be assessed.

2. The foreign ministries will remain in close contact with regard to supporting the advancement of the Vienna process for a political settlement to the conflict in Syria. They will also enter into closer consultations on how the civilian population in Syria and Syrian refugees in neighbouring host countries can be offered greater support.

3. The Ministers will work together to promote efforts to strengthen UN peacekeeping. Both sides will continue to hold regular consultations on issues relating to Africa.

4. The Ministers will work to promote the dialogue between China and NATO within the existing framework, including in the area of current non-traditional security threats.

5. The foreign ministries will engage in dialogue on the topic of business connectivity between Europe and Asia. China has been invited to attend the high‑level business conference of the German OSCE Chairmanship in 2016.

6. The foreign ministries will engage in dialogue on approaches to crisis scenarios.

7. In addition to their existing regular dialogue on specific subjects, the foreign ministries will hold consultations on matters of international law, security policy concerns, including international cooperation against terrorism, as well as on foreign trade and investment and regional issues. The dialogue between the respective responsible divisions of the foreign ministries is to be intensified. Moreover, both sides will continue to intensify their dialogue and cooperation within the G20 framework and work together to ensure that the 2016 and 2017 G20 summits are a success.

8. Both sides are working to further facilitate the reciprocal movement of persons. On the basis of reciprocity, both sides are committed to a further reduction in the number of documents to be submitted for visa applications. Both sides welcome and support the timely signature of an agreement on visa‑free travel between China and the EU for holders of diplomatic passports, as well as Germany’s intention to open visa application centres in additional Chinese cities where Germany has no consular representation.

9. The foreign ministries support the German-Chinese “Year of school and youth exchanges 2016”. Both Ministers welcome efforts to promote learning of the respective partner’s language. The scope of the existing exchange of young diplomats is to be extended and Chinese and German young diplomats are to take part in training module for diplomats in 2016.

10. The foreign ministers will intensify their cooperation in the area of training for interpreters and translators for the Chinese and German languages.

11. German-Chinese cooperation will be an important topic of discussion at the next German Ambassadors Conference in summer 2016. The Chinese side welcomes this.