Hopes high for premier's visit

Business leaders expect Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Germany this week to show that China's reform and sustainable development strategy can produce greater opportunities.

"We are eager to hear his views about Chinese urbanization as well as about 'greening' the Chinese economy, especially with regard to solutions that European companies can offer," Jens Assmann, deputy director of the international department at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, told China Daily.

China is increasingly becoming a new and very large consumer market for European companies and their products, he said.

Member companies are eager to learn how the implementation of economic reforms in China can help them and further open the Chinese market to foreign businesses," Assmann added.

Li will visit Germany from Thursday to Saturday. It is his second trip to the country since he took office in March 2013, and he will co-chair the third round of the China-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"For Germany and the European economy as a whole, I expect this trip will bring more investment from German enterprises and also support Chinese companies in increasing their business in Germany," said Ian M. Oades, vice-president of finance and head of investor relations at Joyou AG.

The company, which operates in China and Germany, designs, produces and sells faucets and other sanitary ware products and is listed in Germany. "I hope that Premier Li will continue to support opening up Chinese markets, which has been promised and delivered during previous state visits," Oades added.

Alexandra Voss, chief representative of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce Beijing, believes Li's visit is another chance for the two governments to deepen their close relationship.

Topics including urbanization, balancing sustainable growth, and environmental protection will be of high interest for debate during Li's visit, Voss said.

"The Chinese government has announced an array of potentially far-reaching reforms. For the most part, the German community is optimistic about them," Voss said.

For example, 69 percent of interviewees in a membership survey are optimistic about China's policy on expanding domestic demand, 65.6 percent are positive toward improved environmental protection and 58.9 percent support an increased role for markets.

Li will visit Germany, Russia, Italy and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization headquarters from Thursday to Oct 15 and attend the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting summit in Milan from Oct 16 to 17.