BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has urged safeguarding the multilateral trading system and resolving China-Europe economic and trade frictions through dialogue during his meetings with business leaders from Germany's BASF, Volkswagen and Bosch on Sunday.
When meeting with Markus Kamieth, chairman of the board of executive directors of BASF, Wang urged China and Europe to defend the World Trade Organization-centered multilateral trading system, according to a Ministry of Commerce statement released on Monday.
Kamieth said BASF remains firmly optimistic about the development prospects of China's economy and will better seize the opportunities from China's sustainable and green development.
When meeting with Oliver Blume, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen, Wang said that China and Europe should view their competitive and cooperative relations in a rational light, engage in fair, orderly and sound competition, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
Blume said the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan will open up new market space for multinational companies, and pledged to increase investment in China and boost R&D and innovation to achieve win-win results, according to a separate press release from the commerce ministry on Monday.
When meeting with Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management of Bosch, Wang said that China stands ready to work with the European side to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides, jointly oppose protectionism and unilateralism, resolve economic and trade frictions through dialogue and consultation, properly address each other's economic and trade concerns, and foster a fair, open and non-discriminatory policy environment for business cooperation between the two sides.
Hartung said the company will continue to increase investment in R&D and expand production presence in China in the days ahead, and take concrete actions to promote the steady and sound development of economic and trade relations between Germany and China, as well as between Europe and China, according to the ministry. ■
