"Cooperation, not confrontation." That was the united message from Germany and China in the aftermath of a meeting between the countries' foreign ministers in Beijing on Thursday. 

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a three-day visit to the country, where she's discussing a host of international issues with Chinese counterpart Qin Gang. 

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The relationship between the two countries have been driven by close trade links. German carmakers and machinery manufacturers have found lucrative markets in China while consumer goods have flowed the other way into the EU's biggest market.

Goods worth around $320 billion were traded between China and Germany in 2022, which was up 21% from 2021. 

Qin described the relationship as mutually beneficial and has urged more economic cooperation between the two countries, "China and Germany want cooperation and not confrontation; whether it is a zero-sum confrontation or group confrontation, neither should be allowed.

"Economic and trade cooperation is the basis of the relationship between the two countries, mutual benefit and a win-win situation is the base of Sino-German pragmatic cooperation, Sino-German dependence in the industrial chain is the inevitable result of economic globalization and the optimal choice under market rules," he said. 
 

Taiwan tensions

Baerbock and Qin also discussed the situation in Taiwan.

Last week, the Chinese military held combat readiness patrols and military drills around the island, leading to accusations from the U.S. After French president Emmanuel Macron urged Europe not to get drawn into the issue last week, Baerbock offered a different tone. 

"Conflicts must only be solved peacefully," she said.“A unilateral, violent change of the status quo would be unacceptable for us Europeans.” 

Qin reiterated China's position that the situation was an internal matter for China but stressed that Beijing was not seeking a military escalation.

"The realization of the peaceful reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. China will firmly defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity; China can not be without a single inch of its territory."

Ukraine

Baerbock and Qin also discussed the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. China has remained neutral during the conflict and recently published a multi-point position paper aimed at finding a solution to the fighting. 

"China has always believed that the only way out of the crisis in Ukraine is to persuade peace and promote talks," he said.  "Since the outbreak of the crisis, President Xi Jinping has put forward four points, four common points and three points of reflection, calling for a political solution.” 

Baerbock will continue her visit to China into Saturday when she is expected to have a breakfast meeting with the director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office, Wang Yi. After that, Baerbock is expected to head to South Korea and then to Japan, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7. 

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