China will continue efforts to build a market-oriented and law-based international business environment, treat domestic and foreign businesses equally, and welcome enterprises from all other countries, including Germany, to invest and start businesses in the country for greater mutual benefits and win-win results, Premier Li Keqiang said.

He made the remarks while speaking with Chinese and German business leaders at the 10th China-Germany Economic and Technical Cooperation Forum during the sixth China-Germany inter-governmental consultation, co-chaired by German Chancellor Angela Merkel via video link on April 28.

They heard speeches by people in charge from Baidu, China Southern Power Grid and China Three Gorges Corp, and German firms including Siemens, CLAAS and BMW.

Economic and trade cooperation between China and Germany has been growing, Premier Li said.

Bilateral trade went up last year despite the impact of COVID-19, and jumped by 41.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, demonstrating the high levels and huge potential of cooperation between the two countries, he said.

The Premier said more than 7,000 German enterprises in China and more than 2,000 Chinese companies in Germany have become an "active force" in bilateral cooperation.

He expressed the hope that both sides could enhance anti-pandemic collaboration in the current situation and facilitate cross-border movement of people, under strict precautions.

Premier Li called on China and Germany to explore mutual recognition of vaccinations and global health codes, and actively contribute to ensuring normal operation of businesses, maintaining security and stability in global industrial and supply chains, and driving the world economic recovery.

Merkel said Germany and China are very close partners in manufacturing and other areas, and hoped for more progress.

The German side is willing to keep communications with the Chinese side over issues on expanding mutual market access and early implementation of the Europe-China investment agreement, cooperate more with China in mutual vaccine recognition, and help maintain normal people-to-people exchanges in various sectors, especially business, she said.

Welcoming investments from Chinese enterprises into Germany, Merkel said she hoped the two sides could jointly push economic and technical cooperation to new heights.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, also attended.