Beijing, January 21

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang today urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel to push European Union to abide by its World Trade Organisation (WTO) promises to Beijing, amid debate in Europe over whether to grant China market economy status.

Li, speaking to Merkel by telephone, said Germany should ‘properly resolve’ EU-China trade disputes as well as promote negotiations on an EU-China investment agreement, according to a statement on the Chinese government’s website.

Li was quoted as telling Merkel, ‘We hope Germany pushes the EU to duly fulfil the relevant promises’ laid out in the document on China’s accession to the WTO.

He did not elaborate but the comments come a week after the European Union’s 28 commissioners discussed for the first time the issue of granting China ‘market economy status’ from December, which Beijing says is its right 15 years after it joined the WTO.

That status would make it harder for Europe to impose anti-dumping duties on Chinese goods sold at knock-down prices, changing the criteria for determining a fair price.

Li also told Merkel that China was ‘highly concerned’ about the humanitarian issues surrounding Syria, and had provided humanitarian assistance to Syria and other countries.

Last year, during a trip to China, Merkel said Germany favoured granting China market economy status in principle, but that Beijing still had work to do, including further opening its public procurement markets.