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Minister of State Annen visits China
Niels Annen, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, will visit Beijing and Shanghai from 10 to 12 July. Within the framework of the strategic partnership between Germany and China, he will have talks in Beijing with Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Yucheng and Vice Minister Guo Yezhou, Deputy Director of the International Department of the Communist Party. With a view to Germany’s EU Council Presidency next year, relations between the EU and China as well as current international and global issues will be discussed in addition to the development of bilateral relations. In Shanghai, the talks will focus on German-Chinese relations in the economic and academic spheres.
Prior to his departure, Minister of State Annen said:
For us, China is an indispensable and yet in some areas also difficult partner, as well as a competitor. Above all, at a time of global uncertainty when the world order is under pressure we regard China as an increasingly important interlocutor on all international and global issues: whether it be the Iran issue, arms control or climate change – none can be resolved without China. I would therefore like to travel to China to discuss these challenges and possible joint approaches with partners in the Chinese Government and Communist Party.