Xi calls for fairness in China-Europe trade during meeting with Merkel

China on Monday urged Germany and the European Union to halt anti-dumping probe against China before December 11, as agreed when China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. President Xi Jinping made the remarks when meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Beijing Hotel.

"Hope Germany and the EU to objectively view the relations between competition and cooperation and properly handle China-Europe trade conflicts," he said.

He demanded an in-time implementation of article 15 of the duties in the protocol China signed when it joined the WTO, which stipulates that all WTO members should stop following the subrogate country measures in anti-dumping cases against China before December 11, 2016.

The discriminatory practice adopted by some countries to gauge cost of Chinese products has resulted in huge loss on the Chinese side in anti-dumping cases against China.

Beijing's relations with Berlin have entered a "very mature" phase, Xi said, adding both sides should look after core interests and concerns of each other to keep the relationship on healthy development.

He said the two countries should strengthen strategic communication in the diplomatic and security fields, and be innovative in cooperation models on international affairs.

China is willing to deepen cooperation in areas including visa issuing, education and Chinese traditional medicine, he added.

Merkel said her country attaches importance to the implementation of the article that Xi raised.

The two countries should speed up matching Germany's "Industry 4.0" strategy and the Chinese plan of "Made in China 2025", and deepen cooperation in fields such as trade, financing, innovation and third markets, she added.

Merkel is on her ninth visit to China as Germany's chancellor, from Sunday to Tuesday, to attend the fourth round of China-Germany Inter-governmental Consultations.