2020年CRI Trade, investment under spotlight in Merkel's China visit

 

Trade and investment cooperation between China and the EU is expected to be under the spotlight¹ as German Chancellor² Angela Merkel begins her two-day visit to China.

Chancellor Merkel has now visited China 11 times since taking office in 2005.

During her visit, Merkel is expected to meet President Xi Jinping and hold talks with Premier³ Li Keqiang in Beijing.

She's also scheduled to have engagements with German and Chinese businesses.

China and Germany have maintained close business ties over the years, despite some challenges.

Dr. Ulf Henning Richter, a business strategist based in China, says both sides do recognize how important they are to one another.

"We do know that China is our biggest market now and so we need to be close to the Chinese market and also work together with the Chinese firms to be able to compete here. So I think that is a very clear tendency of what has happened on both sides," says Richter.

Stats indicate that trade volumes between the two countries neared 200 billion U.S. dollars in 2018.

Richter says Germany's major car companies, Huawei and others have signed agreements to develop new technology in the automotive sector⁴.

But Germany has come recently under pressure from the US not to use Huawei's technology for its 5G network and autonomous⁵ cars.

However, Richter says the two sides remain undeterred from working together, with Chinese companies gaining more access to the German and European markets.

Dr. Cui Hongjian, the head of the European Studies Department at the China Institute of International Studies, says China and Germany will use this visit to strengthen trade relations between the two countries.

"So undoubtedly⁶ I think China and Germany should try to keep their very good relations and cooperation. But of cause on the other side it will also give some sense of this relationship between China and Germany especially in current background," says Cui.

He suggests the economic challenges in Germany necessitate⁷ Merkel to engage in serious talks with the world's second largest economy on trade. He adds both sides need to use this opportunity to exchange ideas on how to clear the cloud of uncertainty⁸ that's currently looming⁹ large over global trade.

"Both countries need to have some more discussion, have some more cooperation to deal with any possible problem from this protectionism and unilateralism. So I think now it's a good time because this year it will be a very important time to deal with some big challenges, for example the China-US trade friction¹⁰ and how to resolve the negotiation¹¹ between the European Union and the United States," says Cui.

The leaders are likely to also talk about concluding negotiations¹² on the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

3 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

6 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

7 necessitate   

v.使成为必要，需要

参考例句：

• Your proposal would necessitate changing our plans.你的提议可能使我们的计划必须变更。
• The conversion will necessitate the complete rebuilding of the interior.转变就必需完善内部重建。

8 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

9 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

10 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

11 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

12 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。