On the afternoon of June 18, 2023, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council left Beijing on a chartered plane. At the invitation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the French government, he will hold the seventh China-Germany inter-governmental consultation and pay an official visit to Germany, and pay an official visit to France and attend the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact. State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Wu Zhenglong and other members of his entourage left Beijing on the same plane.

On the evening of June 18 local time, Li Qiang's chartered plane arrived at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Honor guards flanked the red carpet, and representatives of the German government and Chinese Ambassador to Germany Wu Ken, among others, greeted the arrival at the airport.

Li Qiang said that Germany is the first stop of his visit after taking office as Premier of the State Council of China. This will be a journey of carrying forward friendship and deepening cooperation. Last year, President Xi Jinping and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier exchanged congratulatory messages on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and had a phone conversation, providing strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations. Noting that recent years have witnessed steady progress in China-Germany relations, Li Qiang said bilateral cooperation has continuously deepened and expanded, delivering new outcomes in such areas as economy and trade, science and technology, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and green development.

Li Qiang pointed out that the seventh China-Germany inter-governmental consultation marks the first comprehensive engagement between the newly formed governments of the two countries. Based on the principles of mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and mutual benefit and win-win results, China is ready to work with Germany to have candid and in-depth communication, further tap the potential for cooperation, properly handle disagreements and differences, enrich the all-round strategic partnership, and send a positive and strong signal for keeping the international industrial and supply chains stable and for maintaining world peace and prosperity.

Li Qiang stressed that the world today has entered a new period of turbulence and change. The more chaotic and turbulent the times, the more necessary it is for the people of China and Germany to carry forward their traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, pool wisdom, overcome challenges, and seize opportunities. China is ready to work with Germany to follow through on the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state to promote new development of China-Germany relations and join hands to create an even brighter future for humanity.

During the visit to Germany, Li Qiang will meet with German President Steinmeier, co-chair the seventh China-Germany inter-governmental consultation with Chancellor Scholz, attend the China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum and the Sino-German Entrepreneurs Roundtable to hold talks with representatives from the German business community, and visit the state of Bavaria and relevant German companies.