Ties between China and Germany are about to enter a new phase, China's president said, as he met the German chancellor before a G20 summit that is expected to highlight their differences with the United States on a host of issues.
President Xi Jinping and Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged on Wednesday to work together more closely on a range of issues, two days ahead of the G20 summit in Hamburg that U.S. President Donald Trump is also due to attend.
Trump's testy relationship with both China and Germany is pushing the two countries closer together, despite Berlin's concerns about human rights in China and frustrations over market access.
"Chinese-German relations are now about to have a new start where we need new breakthroughs," Xi told a joint news conference with Merkel in Berlin. He said he hoped to make a "new blueprint, set our sights on new goals and plan new routes" for cooperation during his visit to Germany.
"We will have difficult discussions, since bringing 20 states together with all their developments and ideas is not easy," Merkel said.
Tension is likely both at the summit and outside it. Thousands of protesters are expected to demonstrate for a raft of causes, ranging from anti-globalisation to failure to tackle climate change. Already, German police have used water cannon to disperse around 500 anti-capitalist protesters.
Much of the tension will revolve around Trump. In an article for German newspaper Handelsblatt Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged the G20 states to continue working together on climate protection, after Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change policy.
And World Bank President Jim Yong Kim told Handelsblatt he agreed with Merkel on climate change, saying: "We cannot wait". In contrast to Trump's protectionist stance, Kim also stressed that free trade was key to alleviating poverty and boosting prosperity.
Merkel has lashed out at Trump's administration for taking the view that globalisation is creating winners and losers. She told the newspaper Die Zeit that as G20 president, she had to work on reaching agreement rather than contributing "to a situation where a lack of communication prevails".
To symbolise their close ties, Merkel and Xi opened a garden at the Berlin Zoo for Meng Meng and Jiao Qing, two giant pandas on loan from China who were seen sitting on wooden benches munching bamboo when a red curtain covering their enclosure was opened. Merkel described them as "two very nice diplomats".
Merkel said she and Xi had also talked about wanting to quickly sign an investment treaty that would ultimately turn into a full-blown free-trade agreement. They discussed as well improving cooperation on cyber security and working more closely together on fighting international terrorism.
In addition, they discussed bilateral cooperation in countries such as in Africa and Afghanistan, with Merkel highlighting an agreement to jointly build a hydroelectric power plant in Angola.
But she added: "In my view we must intensively pursue the human rights dialogue, looking at how different parts of society can better express themselves. In this respect, cooperation in the field of civil society can be further strengthened."
Reuters
Thu Jul 06 2017
![Ahead of fractious G20, Germany and China pledge new cooperation Ahead of fractious G20, Germany and China pledge new cooperation](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2017-07/81499306461_BerlinGermany.jpg)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, July 5, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
![Faisal Halim bukti 'pendekar' sejati - Irfan Bakti Faisal Halim bukti 'pendekar' sejati - Irfan Bakti](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723294016_FaisalHalim.jpg)
Faisal Halim bukti 'pendekar' sejati - Irfan Bakti
Faisal Halim layak dilabel pejuang sejati apabila mampu bangkit walaupun berdepan trauma selepas menjadi mangsa simbahan asid pada Mei lalu.
![Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723705839_TBHilang.jpg)
Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah
Polis memohon bantuan orang ramai mengesan seorang remaja perempuan berusia 15 tahun yang dilaporkan hilang di Beranang, Selangor.
![Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000 Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723705134_TBAhLong.jpg)
Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000
Seorang orang suruhan ah long mengaku bersalah atas pertuduhan menyimbah cat merah di rumah keluarga peminjam, Januari lalu.
![Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723705177_TBMyREF.jpg)
Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf
Lebih daripada 30 asnaf bersama ahli keluarga mereka telah diraikan di Majlis Graduasi MyREF Hijrahpreneur Skills Program (MyREF HSP) di Auditorium High Impact Research, Universiti Malaya.
![Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723704577_RusdiMohdIsa.jpg)
Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol
Polis telah mengenal pasti seorang pemain bola sepak yang ditahan kerana membawa kerambit ke padang bola, sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol di sebuah pusat hiburan di ibu negara.
![Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723703465_TBperkeso.jpg)
Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan
Bernama dan Perkeso menandatangani MoU bagi memperluas perlindungan sosial kepada pengamal media sambilan (stringers) melalui Skim Keselamatan Sosial Pekerjaan Sendiri (SKSPS).
![RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723701143_TBastro.jpg)
RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif
RADIO 360 merentasi 11 stesen radio Astro yang boleh diakses di aplikasi SYOK termasuk Era, Sinar, Gegar, Hitz, Mix, My dan Raaga.
AWANI Ringkas: Pemain bola bawa kerambit juga suspek baling bom petrol
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723702959_TBMahkamahSesyen.jpg)
Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China
Sepasang suami isteri dan empat individu didakwa menculik seorang lelaki warga China untuk mendapatkan wang tebusan berbentuk mata wang kripto.
![Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61722341186_BursaMalaysia.jpg)
Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia
Bursa Malaysia menggantung jualan singkat SP Setia Bhd bagi baki tempoh hari ini selepas penyusutan harga yang ketara.
![Bekas Canselor Jerman Angela Merkel terima anugerah tertinggi negara Bekas Canselor Jerman Angela Merkel terima anugerah tertinggi negara](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2017-09/41506301008_AngelaMerkel.jpg)
Bekas Canselor Jerman Angela Merkel terima anugerah tertinggi negara
Merkel memegang jawatan canselor dari 2005 hingga 2021.
![Jerman hentikan operasi tiga loji nuklear terakhir Jerman hentikan operasi tiga loji nuklear terakhir](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-04/71681623314_TBNUCLEARPOWERPLA.jpg)
Jerman hentikan operasi tiga loji nuklear terakhir
Jerman menghentikan operasi tiga loji tenaga nuklear terakhirnya pada Sabtu sebagai sebahagian daripada peralihan kepada tenaga boleh diperbaharui.
![Canselor Jerman: Era pemerintahan Angela Merkel tamat selepas 16 tahun Canselor Jerman: Era pemerintahan Angela Merkel tamat selepas 16 tahun](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-11/81606086919_GermanChancellorAn.jpg)
Canselor Jerman: Era pemerintahan Angela Merkel tamat selepas 16 tahun
Olaf Scholz secara rasmi dilantik sebagai Canselor Jerman yang baharu pada Rabu menggantikan Angela Merkel.
![COVID-19: Jerman debat isu wajibkan vaksinasi COVID-19: Jerman debat isu wajibkan vaksinasi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-11/51636785635_vaksin.jpg)
COVID-19: Jerman debat isu wajibkan vaksinasi
Pada Ahad, kes jangkitan koronavirus sepanjang tujuh hari lalu di Jerman meningkat ke paras tertinggi sejak wabak itu bermula untuk hari ke-14 berturut-turut.
![COVID-19: Jerman bakal kenakan peraturan baharu COVID-19: Jerman bakal kenakan peraturan baharu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-07/61626174128_Merkel.jpg)
COVID-19: Jerman bakal kenakan peraturan baharu
Peraturan baharu itu akan dibawa ke Parlimen untuk diluluskan hari ini.
![COVID-19: Angela Merkel rayu rakyat Jerman segera dapatkan vaksin COVID-19: Angela Merkel rayu rakyat Jerman segera dapatkan vaksin](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-11/81606086919_GermanChancellorAn.jpg)
COVID-19: Angela Merkel rayu rakyat Jerman segera dapatkan vaksin
Ini kerana, kata Merkel, kadar jangkitan COVID-19 di negara itu mencecah angka baharu tertinggi dengan bilangan korban turut meningkat.
![Sekatan Jerman terhadap minyak sawit berdasarkan kepada maklumat palsu Sekatan Jerman terhadap minyak sawit berdasarkan kepada maklumat palsu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/41613211438_Sawit.jpg)
Sekatan Jerman terhadap minyak sawit berdasarkan kepada maklumat palsu
Sekatan Jerman terhadap minyak sawit adalah berdasarkan kepada maklumat palsu dan secara sengaja tidak merujuk kepada fakta alam sekitar.
![Parti Canselor Angela Merkel mula kempen pilihan raya secara rasmi Parti Canselor Angela Merkel mula kempen pilihan raya secara rasmi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-07/81626575522_ArminLaschet.jpg)
Parti Canselor Angela Merkel mula kempen pilihan raya secara rasmi
Parti Kristian Demokrat (CDU) yang kini dipimpin Armin Laschet berharap dapat terus mentadbir negara selepas Merkel umum mahu mengundur diri.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-08/71627747962_BAP.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![Jerman bakal kenakan caj ujian COVID-19 kepada yang enggan terima vaksin Jerman bakal kenakan caj ujian COVID-19 kepada yang enggan terima vaksin](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-08/71627750185_SwabTest.jpg)
Jerman bakal kenakan caj ujian COVID-19 kepada yang enggan terima vaksin
Tiada lagi ujian saringan COVID-19 percuma untuk golongan yang enggan menerima vaksin, kata Canselor Angela Merkel pada Selasa.