Germany wants China's cooperation in the development of complex technologies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the two countries can both benefit if they work together in the area of digital economy.
At the opening ceremony of the yearly IT fair CeBIT, held on Sunday in Hannover, Germany, Merkel asserted that China is not only viewed by Germany as its most important non-European trading partner, but also a possible strong partner in the development of sophisticated technologies.
"The competition in the area of digitalization is large and globally, and there is a lot of strong competitors from China," Merkel said.
Merkel also believes that the two states each have their own respective core strengths, making cooperation between them worthwhile and natural.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agrees with Merkel's assertions and also believes that deeper ties between the two states must be forged. In a video message, Li lauded Germany as "an industrial powerhouse and land of thinkers" and that he is anticipating tighter cooperation between the two with regard "to Web-based, digital and intelligent technologies."
Li also said that the two countries' digital strategies can be aligned because they complement each other. He also said that he expects "to further strengthen our comprehensive strategic partnership and embark together on a path of win-win cooperation and joint prosperity in the world."
Members of the human rights group Amnesty International, however, are not happy with the stronger ties between the countries. The organization opines that China's many human rights violations make it unfit to be a partner. The organization specifically highlighted China's treatment of critics, including jailed Nobel Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo.
The organization is calling for Germany to focus on human rights issues and to consistently ask for adherence to human rights from its partners.