Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder received the China-Europe Friendship Award on Wednesday in Hamburg,Germany in recognition of his outstanding achievements in cultivating relations with China. (Photo by Fu Jing/chinadaily.com.cn)
Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder said on Wednesday that Germany should not become "defensive" in attracting Chinese investment,which would be essential for job creation in the country's export-dominated economy.
The former chancellor joined business leaders in calling on China and EU to speed up various efforts, including investment talks, to contribute global growth and development against rising uncertainties worldwide.
"Germany should therefore not take a defensive approach to Chinese investment in our economy," said Schroder when addressing the two-day Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe which started here on Wednesday.
China's Vice-Premier Liu Yandong is expected to respond at the closing ceremony on Thursday. Liu will arrive in Hamburg on late Wednesday and stay through Saturday, meeting German officials and promoting science, education, culture and sports exchanges between the two countries.
Schroder said:"The German economy wishes not only to sell its products in world markets, but also to create local jobs and training opportunities."
He said Germans have become well aware that investment and openness are the elements that drive the German economy forward.
"Without them, we cannot advance,"said Schroder. "This is because the German economy is dependent not only on foreign investment, but also on foreign knowledge and know-how."
Regulatory institutions at German and European levels have recently tightened their approval procedures when dealing with rising Chinese investments.
Schroder was among a handful of European leaders in previous years who built strategic partnerships between China and Germany and China and EU.
At the opening of the forum, the former chancellor also received the China-Europe Friendship Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements in cultivating relations with China.
Fritz Horst Melsheimer, president of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, called for an investment treaty between the EU and China to be agreed as soon as possible within the next year in order to put bilateral economic relations swiftly onto a more solid legal basis.
