The leaders of China and Germany reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to international free trade and multilateral cooperation, the Wall Street Journal reports, as sentiments from Washington continue to concern major US trade partners.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday, where the two discussed the nations’ strong bilateral trade ties and signed a number of new deals.
“Germany supports the rules-based system of free trade and is therefore concerned when what in our minds are illegal tariffs are being levied,” said Merkel.
Li agreed on the importance of free trade in driving global economic growth, despite a recent rise in criticism from European parties of China’s controversial trade policies.
China is currently Germany’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade standing at $219 billion in 2017.