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China-Germany trade: Wen meets Merkel in Berlin | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Chinese and German leaders are meeting for trade talks in the German capital Berlin, with the Chinese seeking new investment by hi-tech companies. | |
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived on Monday evening on the final leg of his European tour, and is meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel. | |
Germany is by far China's biggest trading partner in the EU. | |
Mrs Merkel predicted bilateral trade would rise to 200bn euros (£178bn; $284bn) from 130bn over five years. | |
While China eyes more sophisticated markets, German firms do not want to lose know-how to Chinese competition. | |
Both sides are now starting to understand how they can benefit from each other, the BBC's Stephen Evans reports from Berlin. | |
Some German companies are keen to manufacture in China and realise that this will involve some transfer of technology, while remaining cautious about what trade secrets to hold back. | |
China has been increasing its holdings of bonds denominated in euros. Were these loans to eurozone governments to change, the crisis in the eurozone would get worse, our correspondent says. | |
'Respect our choices' | |
Mr Wen's visit began with an informal dinner hosted by Mrs Merkel at a lakeside villa on Monday. | |
The German leader insisted she would not play down human rights concerns for the sake of trade. | |
"We have different opinions on certain issues but I am confident we can discuss them," she said at the dinner. | |
Speaking to German and Chinese business leaders at his hotel on Tuesday, Mr Wen said he would not accept lectures from European partners. | |
"China respects the political system and the development model chosen by the citizens of the EU," he said. | |
"In exchange, we expect from the EU respect of our sovereignty, our territorial integrity and the autonomous choices of the Chinese people." |
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