BERLIN - The European Union is likely to move faster in satisfying Beijing's long-standing requests to relax high-tech export control, grant market economy status and remove arm sales embargo, following China's first diplomatic efforts in 2011 led by Vice-Premier Li Keqiang.

German sources said the special diplomatic arrangements during Li's visit have shown Germany's seriousness in dealing with China's request.

"The German government is very willing to realize a win-win scenario," a source responsible for the arrangements of the tour told China Daily.

During the second leg of his three-country tour, Li asked Germany to play a bigger role in motivating the EU and its member countries to slacken high-tech export control over China, as the growing and vast market can benefit German and European economy.

"The growing economic clout of Germany will help boost its capacity in the EU and on the global stage. We firmly support that," Li said at a dinner speech with German and Chinese business representatives on Thursday local time.

During Li's visit in Spain, the Spanish government promised to make efforts to grant China's market economy status and removing the embargo on arms sales.

Along with China's requests, Chinese enterprises have ardently purchased European products, which have helped thousands of companies in European countries create new jobs and reap profits.

Similar to previous visits by Chinese leaders since 2009, Chinese enterprises signed $6.25 billion worth of procurement contracts with Germany on Friday. Germany was the first stop for Premier Wen Jiabao when he led a high-ranking business delegation to Europe in early 2009.

China and Spain signed $7.5 billion worth of agreements and contracts on Wednesday and hopefully, more deals will be inked with British companies.

Against the backdrop of globalization, China will pursue a more active strategy of opening up, continuously attracting and using foreign technology, management expertise, high-quality personnel and investment, Li said. "Our general idea is, in the new era, China will take a more open attitude to the outside world," Li said at the dinner with German and Chinese business representatives, after meeting with German Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle.

He also said that the Chinese government will continue to promote free trade and investment and welcomed more German companies investing or establishing new businesses in China, especially in areas like energy efficiency, environmental protection, high technology, modern agriculture and service industry, as well as new industries with strategic significance.

Li pledged that the Chinese market will be better regulated, as the country will further improve economic laws, regulations and policies concerning foreign businesses, and protect intellectual property rights .

Germany is one of China's major trade partners in Europe, and their bilateral trade contributes to about one-third of total China-EU trade.

Statistics show Germany's economic growth rate was 3.7 percent last year, the fastest among all developed economies. Exports accounted for three-quarters of the increase.

Vice-minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng said Chinese enterprises in the new energy, clean technology, chemical, mechanical and electrical, communications and other high-tech industries have a very strong desire to purchase German products and expect cooperation with Germany.

"We are very competitive in meeting China's demands of cleaner technologies and we are moving to attract more investments and also sign more purchase contracts," said Matthias Hempen, Asia Director of Bremen Economic Development Corp, which is responsible for boosting the investment of a northern region in Germany.

Jim Hagemann Snabe, an executive of the top business software company SAP, said his company will expand business in China as more and more Chinese companies plan to expand overseas. "This is our opportunity as our products can help realize their goals," said Snabe, whose company has about 2,000 employees in China at present.

China Daily

(China Daily 01/08/2011 page7)