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1. Political ties
The diplomatic relations between Chinaand Germanywere established in October 1972.
China Germany relations have on the whole made smooth progress in all fields, ever since the establishment of their diplomatic relations.
High-level visits of the two countries were exchanged frequently in between 1978-1989. The foreign ministries of the two countries set up a political consultative mechanism for mutual visits by the two foreign ministers and of regular consultation between their officials at different levels in different forms. Soon after the occurrence of the political disturbance in Beijing, federal Germanyjoined in the sanctions taken against China, thus the bilateral relationship dropped to the status of keeping contact in day-to-day affairs. Later, with joint efforts, however, their relations, step by step, returned to normal and began to improve.
In September 1990, the meeting between the two foreign ministers at General Assembly was restored.
In 1992, China Germany ties made further progress and were put back to the track of normal development.
In 1993, the German Government decided not to approve the sale of its submarines to Taiwan, the bilateral relationship trended toward positive development. In September, the German government put forward a new policy on Asiawith a stress on China, and in November the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl paid his third visit to China. In 1994, President of the NPC Qiao Shi and Premier Li Peng visited Germanyrespectively.
In 1995, there was an all-round development in the Sino-German relationship. In July, President Jiang Zemin paid a state visit to Germanywhereas German Chancellor Kohl had his fourth visit to China. The close relations between the two countries in the political field gave a strong impetus to the progress of the bilateral relations in other fields, the development of the economic and trade relations in particular. In June 1996, however, the German Parliament (Bundestag) adopted an anti-China resolution so called "Improvement in the Human Rights Situation", resulting in the bilateral relations seriously affected. In September, the foreign ministers of the two countries met when the UN General Assembly was in session; the German side emphasized at the meeting that the German Government abides by the "one-China" policy, and reaffirmed the view that Tibetis part of China; and the disputes on human rights shall be settled through dialogue. In November, President Herzogmade his state visit to China.
In April 1998 Premier Zhu Rongji met with German Chancellor Kohl, and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan met German Foreign Minister Kinkelrespectively at Asia Europe Meeting convened in London.
In October 1998, upon the reshuffle of its new cabinet, the German Government underlined the continuation of its foreign policy and attached importance to its relations with China. In March 1999, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan visited Germany. In May, Chancellor Schroeder had a working visit to Chinawhile in November he paid an official visit to China, during which he exchanged his views with Chinese leaders on the enhancement of their bilateral relations.
In March 2000, Chief of the General Staff Fu Quanyou visited Germany. By the end of June, Premier Zhu Rongji made an official visit there. In September, Wu Yi, member of the State council attended the opening ceremony of the Chinese Hall held at the World Exposition in Hannoverduring her visit to Germany. In October, Wei Jianxing, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of CPC, at the invitation of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, visited Germany whereas in November Münterfering, General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, came to China for visit. In December, Federal vice-chancellor and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer paid a visit to China.
In February 2001, Federal Defense minister Sharping visited China, the first visit of its kind by a Germanydefense minister. In May, Foreign Minister Fischer attended the 3rdAsia-Europe meeting for Foreign ministers convened in Beijing. There were other important visits exchanged between high-ranking officials: in June, Deputy Premier Wu Bangguo paid a visit to Germany, at the end October, Chancellor Kohl made his third visit to China, in November Vice President Hu Jintao paid a visit to Germany, in March 2002, General Chi Haotian, Deputy Chairman of the Military Commission of the Central Committee of CPC, member of the State council and Defense minister paid a visit to Germany, the first visit of its kind by a defense minister. In April, President Jiang Zemin made his second state visit to Germany. In May, the German Government revised its strategy towards Asia, and attached more importance to the international position Chinaboasts in the world at large and its relations with China. In October, there was a series of large scale activities conducted by the two side separately to mark the 30thanniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations of the two countries; on this occasion, the heads of the two countries exchanged their telegrams of congratulation; and Former Presidents Sheel and Weizsäcker visited China. In November, Foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan visited Germany. In December, Federal Chancellor Schroeder made a working visit to Chinaand attended the ceremony of the magnetic levitated train opening to traffic in Shanghai.
2. China-Germany trade relations
Trade. Germanyis China's largest economic and trade partner in Europe, the bilateral trade volume jumped to US$27.8 billion in 2002 from US$273 million in 1972. In between January-April 2003, the bilateral trade volume reached US$11.95 billion, an increase of 50.5%, in which its import from Germany accounted for US$6.98 billion, an increase of 46.7%, whereas its export came to as high as US$497 million, an increase of 56.1%; the main products imported from Germany are: electromechanical equipment, vehicles, ships, transportation equipment, chemicals, optical instruments, medical instruments and so on. And the main products exported to Germanywere: electrical equipment, mechanical equipment, textile raw materials and goods, chemical products, toys, etc.
Financial and technological cooperation
Germanyis among the countries which have provided Chinawith the most aid for development. In 1985, the two governments signed Agreement on Financial cooperation. Up to April 2003, Germanycommitted itself to provide Chinawith an amount of fund totaling 3.320 billion Euros devoted to financial cooperation, which is mainly centered on infrastructure, environmental protection, afforestation and a number of industrial projects.
In 1982, the Agreement on technological cooperation was signed between the two countries. Up to September 2002, the German side rendered an aid gratus to Chinaof 480 million Euros for technological cooperation, and additional fund of 0.6 million Euros devoted to the grain aid project in ShandongProvince. The aid projects, varying in form, range from technological cooperation, grain assistance and emergent assistance, an extra fund used as scholarship for students in need beyond the project, to subsidies for forums. In April 2003, the German Government decided to render an emergent aid of medical instruments worth 10 million Euros to Chinain an effort to fight SARS within the framework of the financial cooperation between the two countries.
Direct investment. Up to April 2003, Germany's direct invested projects in China were as many as 3295, involving a contracted amount of money worth US$15.1 billion and the actual input totaling US$8.62 billion. But in 2002, however, Germany's direct invested projects were 352, with contracted amount of money worth US$920 million, a decrease of 21% compared with the corresponding period of 2003, while the actually used money was US$930 million, a decrease of 23%, compared with the corresponding period of 2003, but still taking the first place in the European countries.
Finance. By the end of October 2002, German banks set up 15 representative offices and 7 branches in China. The Allianz Insurance Company, the biggest company in Europe, established its German Allianz-Volkswagen Insurance Company in Shanghaiin October 1998. On the Chinese side, Bank of China, China Industrial and Commercial Bank and China Construction Bank set up their branches in Germanyrespectively.
Tourism. In July 2002, "Understanding Memorandum on Implementation of Touring to Germanyby Groups of Chinese Citizens" was signed between Chinaand Germany; and in February 2003, the first tour to Germanyby a Chinese tourist group was made.
3. Bilateral exchange in science and technology, culture, education and the military.
Science and technology. In October 1978, the Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation was signed between the two governments. Under the framework of the Agreement, more cooperative agreements were signed in the fields of space technology, oceanographic survey or research and marine technology; in 1993, both sides signed "Joint Statement on Cooperation in Environment & Development" and the Minutes of Talks in an effort to further enhance the bilateral cooperation in science between the two governments.
In 1995, the two parties signed the "Understanding Memorandum on the Establishment of the Forum Relating to High-tech Dialogue between Chinaand Germany". In April 1997, the Forum on High-tech Dialogue between the two countries was set up; in December 1999, the 15thMeeting of China Germany Mixed Committee was convened. Hereafter, the partnership of cooperation was launched between Academyof Sciences, ChineseAcademyof Social Sciences and other research institutions and German institutions including Max, Plank and Frauenhof.
On 18 October 2000, China's National Natural Science Foundation and German Research Council jointly launched "ChinaGermanySciencePromotionCenter". In December, China Germany Conference on Environmental Cooperation was held in Beijing.
Culture.In 1979, the Agreement on Cultural Exchange was signed between the two countries. In April 2002, Chinaand Germanysigned the "Minutes of Talks" on the Establishment of Cultural Exchange Center". In the past few years, there are frequent activities conducted in cultural contacts, artistic expositions and commercial performances. In September 2001, China, as a guest of honor, attended the third "Asia Pacific Week" held in Berlin.
Education. Ever since 1980s, contacts in education between the two countries have made rapid progress. So far there are over 300 Chinese schools of higher learning having had inter-school contact relations with about a hundred German schools of higher learning. In April 2002, the two countries signed the "Agreement on Mutual Acknowledgement of Equivalence of Higher Education".
Since 1974, Chinahas begun to send its students to study in Germany. Germanytherefore, is the biggest partner of cooperation in professional education. At present, there are about 30,000 Chinese students of various faculties studying in Germany. From 1973 to 2001, German students who studied in Chinatotaled over 2500; in year 2002, the German students studying in Chinacame to 1226.
Military contacts. In 1976, the two countries established military attaché offices in their respective embassies. From February 2001 to March 2002, the defense ministers of the two countries conducted the exchange of visits. In September 2001 when the flotilla of the Chinese navy made its first voyage to Europe, the flotilla visited German navy port known as Wilhelm.
Provincial contacts. In September 2002, there were in total 42 pairs of friendly provinces, states or cities established between Beijing, Shanghai, Liaoning, Sichuanon the Chinese side, and Berlin, Hamburg, Baden-Wuttermburg and Norderhein-Westfalen on the German side.
Consular Relations. In 1976, the Chinese Consulates in Hamburgand Munichwere opened respectively, on 14 May 1984and 7 June 1997while the German consulates in Shanghaiand Guangzhouwere opened respectively on 15 October 1982and in October 1995.
4. Major Treaties and Agreements
NameundefinedDate of Signature
Joint Communiqué of establishmentundefined11 October 1972
of diplomatic relations of the countries
Agreement on ocean shippingundefined31 October 1975
Agreement on civil aviation transportation31 October 1975
Agreement on Cooperation in Scienceundefined9 October 1978
and Technology
Agreement on cultural cooperationundefined24 October 1979
Agreement on Healthundefined16 May 1980
Agreement on Railway cooperationundefined22 September 1981
Protocol for cooperation in Agricultural23 November 1981
Science and Technology
Agreement on Prevention of Doubleundefined10 June 1985
Taxation in Income and Properties
Protocol for Establishment of Consultative31 October 1988
System between the Foreign Ministries of
The Two Countries
Agreement on Environmental Cooperation26 September 1994
Agreement on Establishment of Chinese13 July 1995
Consulate in Munichand German Consulate
in Shanghai
Agreement on Social Insurance between China12 July 2001
and Germany
Understanding Memorandum on Implementation2 July 2002
of Touring to Germanyby Chinese Citizens
In between June 29-July 1 2000, during Premier Zhu Rongji's visit in Germany, Chinaand Germanysigned the following documents:
Agreement on Cooperation in Economic, Industrial and technological Fields
Agreement on Law Exchange and Cooperation
Understanding Memorandum on Cooperation in Infrastructure
In between April 8-13 2002 during President Jiang Zemin, the two countries signed the following documents:
Agreement on Mutual Acknowledgement of Equivalence of Higher Education
Minutes of Talks on the Establishment of Cultural Centers Respectively in Chinaand Germany
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