China eyes stabilising role in call with Germany's Merkel

[webfact]

China eyes stabilising role in call with Germany's Merkel

REUTERS

 

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) chats with China's Premier Li Keqiang during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, June 13, 2016. REUTERS/Wang Zhao

 

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for China and Germany to play a leading role to ensure the stability of international markets amid an "uncertain" global political and economic climate, the official Xinhua news agency said late on Wednesday.

 

During a call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Chinese premier said "international political and economic scenes are facing several uncertain factors," Xinhua reported.

 

"China and Germany should send stable signals to the global markets and jointly safeguard the existing international system through trade and investment liberalisation," Xinhua said, citing Li.

 

Amid a turbulent start by new U.S. President Donald Trump, whose first days have been marked by media feuds and protests, China has been playing up its role as a steadying force from global trade to climate change.

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, as a keynote speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, also offered a vigorous defence of globalisation and signalled Beijing's desire to play a bigger role on the world stage.

 

Meanwhile, Trump, who took office last Friday, has already signed an order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact and threatened trade curbs, including a border tax on cars that Germany's BMW plans to build at a new factory in Mexico.

 

Li also said China would continue as a "staunch supporter" of European integration, amid growing pressure on the bloc following a referendum vote in Britain last year to leave the European Union. Trump has said Brexit could be a "great thing".

 

(Reporting by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Michael Perry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-01-26

[Srikcir]

Wouldn't it be ironic that as Trump withdraws America's political influence from the EU, NATO, TPP and NAFTA, that his self-proclaimed nemesis China fills the void.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

Wouldn't it be ironic that as Trump withdraws America's political influence from the EU, NATO, TPP and NAFTA, that his self-proclaimed nemesis China fills the void.

Somehow, I don't think that China's involvement will be as benevolent as the USA's has been.

[zydeco]

So Merkel is so desperate that she is looking for support from the last Communist dictator?

[Redline]

On 1/26/2017 at 8:39 AM, webfact said:

During a call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Chinese premier said "international political and economic scenes are facing several uncertain factors," Xinhua reported.

 

"China and Germany should send stable signals to the global markets and jointly safeguard the existing international system through trade and investment liberalisation," Xinhua said, citing Li.

Bye bye American leadership in the world.  It was up in the air for a while, but DT is cementing it as fact.  Sad to see my country go down due to fear and ignorance.  But, this is how the word works.  How do you say "bend over" in Chinese?

[Redline]

22 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Wouldn't it be ironic that as Trump withdraws America's political influence from the EU, NATO, TPP and NAFTA, that his self-proclaimed nemesis China fills the void.

Gave it to China on a gold platter.  And, boy do they like gold.  Sad to watch

[ddavidovsky]

21 hours ago, zydeco said:

So Merkel is so desperate that she is looking for support from the last Communist dictator?

China hasn't been Communist since Mao died. It's fascist - even worse.

[Opl]

Chinese President Xi 's Davos speech,  specifically conceived for western audiences strongly contrasts with US President Trump's speeches ..

 

Worth a read IMHO ( " Whether you like it or not, the global economy is the big ocean that you cannot escape from. Any attempt to cut off the flow of capital, technologies, products, industries and people between economies, and channel the waters in the ocean back into isolated lakes and creeks is simply not possible. Indeed, it runs counter to the historical trend.")

 

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/01/full-text-of-xi-jinping-keynote-at-the-world-economic-forum

[Redline]

16 hours ago, Opl said:

Chinese President Xi 's Davos speech,  specifically conceived for western audiences strongly contrasts with US President Trump's speeches ..

 

Worth a read IMHO ( " Whether you like it or not, the global economy is the big ocean that you cannot escape from. Any attempt to cut off the flow of capital, technologies, products, industries and people between economies, and channel the waters in the ocean back into isolated lakes and creeks is simply not possible. Indeed, it runs counter to the historical trend.")

 

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/01/full-text-of-xi-jinping-keynote-at-the-world-economic-forum

Protectionism:  It's a zero sum game, if not negative.  I was an International Business major, so it's kind of common sense that it won't work.  It sounds good politically, but the complications with tit for tat, and lawsuits....it's better to spend the money on educating your citizens, and improve infrastructure and health care in order to keep your country ahead of the curve.  The old ways of doing things just no longer apply.  The world changes, stop wishing to go backwards old men!  Don't play nostalgia with the country!

 

Edited January 28, 2017 by Redline

[Opl]

I'd say everything Trump says sounds regressive