HAMBURG — Vice-Premier Liu He met on Nov 27 with the First Mayor of Hamburg Peter Tschentscher, and expressed the willingness to deepen cooperation with the German city.

Liu said that Hamburg, as a well-known commercial harbor city, plays a vital role in global trade, and is an international metropolitan with well-developed transportation, manufacturing and technology.

He said China and Germany has established an all-around strategic partnership, and the cooperation has made significant progress in various fields. Hamburg, which started cooperation with China early, is one of the cities in Germany and Europe that attracted the most Chinese investments. The city has played an active role in promoting China-Germany pragmatic cooperation, said Liu.

He added that China holds a positive outlook for Germany’s development and appreciates Hamburg’s willingness and efforts to deepen cooperation with China.

Liu expressed the hope that the two sides will create better environment for investment, and strengthen cooperation in fields such as manufacturing, digital economy, medium- and small-sized enterprises and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Liu said the Hamburg Summit has become a well-known platform for Sino-European dialogue and an important platform for extensive exchanges among people of all circles in China and Europe.

He said the Chinese government is willing to send a positive signal through the platform that China and Germany, as well as Europe, will deepen pragmatic cooperation, and will firmly safeguard multilateralism and free trade.

Describing Hamburg as Germany’s biggest industrial base, Europe’s vital hub and an important gateway to Europe, Tschentscher said the city has always been a close and reliable partner of China.

Tschentscher said the development since China’s reform and opening-up is impressive.

He added that Hamburg is willing to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, attract more Chinese investments, and join hands with China in promoting development of China-Germany, China-Europe and Europe-Asia relationships.