China and Germany: Building a Golden Partnership on Innovation
李克强总理在“中德论坛——共塑创新”上的演讲。（中英对照）
做创新合作的“黄金搭档”
China and Germany: Building a Golden Partnership on Innovation
——在“中德论坛——共塑创新”上的演讲
– Speech at the China-Germany Forum: Shaping Innovation Together
中华人民共和国国务院总理 李克强
H.E. Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China
2017年6月1日，柏林
Berlin, 1 June 2017
尊敬的默克尔总理，
女士们、先生们、朋友们：
Chancellor Merkel,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
很高兴与大家相聚在美丽的柏林。柏林既有悠久历史、又具现代活力，享有“欧洲创新之都”的美誉。在这里举办以“共塑创新”为主题的中德论坛，一定会给人更多新启迪，催生更多新创意、新商机。我谨代表中国政府，对论坛的成功举办表示热烈祝贺，向长期致力于中德友好合作的各界人士致以崇高敬意！
It is a great pleasure to meet you in the beautiful city of Berlin. Boasting a time-honored history, the dynamism of a modern metropolis and the reputation as the European capital of innovation, Berlin provides a fitting venue for the China-Germany Forum on innovation. I am sure our discussions here will trigger and foster new inspirations, new ideas and new business opportunities. On behalf of the Chinese government, I wish to congratulate you on the success of the forum and pay tribute to all those who have worked for friendship and cooperation between our countries.
三年前，我访问德国期间，两国发表以“共塑创新”为主题的《中德合作行动纲要》，这是迄今为止中德之间内容最为丰富的一份共同文件，也是指导两国中长期创新合作的管总规划。中国人常说，三年有成。三年来，在两国各界人士共同努力下，中德创新合作迈出坚实步伐。两国有关部门分别发表《中国战略》、《德国战略》，开创了大国科技合作的先例。两国合作建设的首条“工业4.0”示范线在沈阳落地，这是“中国制造2025”与德国“工业4.0”对接的果实。中车集团与西门子公司联袂生产的地铁机车出口到美国、巴西等国，展现出三方合作的生命力。两国科研机构和企业开创“2+2”合作模式，搭起了科研成果与市场应用之间的“高架桥”。沈阳、青岛、芜湖、揭阳、太仓等各具特色的中德产业园区蓬勃发展，正在成为中德创新合作的高地。
During my visit to Germany three years ago, our two countries issued a joint program of action on cooperation, with the theme of shaping innovation together. It is so far the most substantial joint document and the master plan on mid- to long-term innovation cooperation between our two countries. We Chinese often say, three years is a natural cycle for making real progress. Over the past three years, with the concerted efforts of people from all sectors, China-Germany innovation cooperation has taken solid steps. The competent departments of our two countries respectively issued the China Strategy and Germany Strategy, which is the first of its kind for science and technology cooperation between major countries.
We jointly built the first “Industry 4.0” demonstration production line in Shenyang, a concrete result of cooperation between “Made in China 2025” and “Industry 4.0.” Metro trains jointly developed by CRRC and Siemens are sold to the United States, Brazil and other countries, showing the dynamism of China-Germany cooperation in third countries. Our research institutes and companies have created the “2+2” cooperation model, building a bridge connecting research findings with market application. Sino-German industrial parks in Shenyang, Qingdao, Wuhu, Jieyang and Taicang, each with its distinctive features, have emerged as the front-runners of our innovation cooperation.
强有力的创新伙伴关系，为中德务实合作装上了大功率“引擎”。这些年，全球贸易持续低迷，而中德双边贸易总体保持稳定。据德方统计，去年双边贸易额达1700亿欧元，中国首次成为德国最大的贸易伙伴国，双边贸易占中欧贸易的30%。两国贸易的技术含量和附加值逐渐提高，德国对华出口中机电产品和化工产品约占80%，自华进口中机电产品约占2/3。两国投资合作由“单行道”进入“双向道”。德国企业仍视中国为海外投资重要目的地，2016年对华投资增长74%。中国企业对德投资方兴未艾，累计直接投资超过百亿美元。两国人才交流日趋活跃，超过4.5万名中国学生在德深造，在华德国专家达3万人、留学生超过8000人。中德创新合作堪称发展中国家与发达国家合作的典范，在中欧创新合作中发挥引领作用。
Strong partnership for innovation has provided a powerful engine for China-Germany practical cooperation. In recent years, despite sluggish global trade, trade between China and Germany has been stable overall. According to German statistics, our two-way trade reached 170 billion euros last year. For the first time, China has become Germany’s largest trading partner, and Germany now accounts for 30 percent of total China-EU trade. The technological content and added value in our trade have been steadily increasing. About 80 percent of German exports to China are mechanical and electrical products and chemical products, and two thirds of German imports from China are mechanical and electrical products.
Investment cooperation between the two countries has moved from a one-way street onto a two-way lane. German companies still see China as a key destination for investment, with their investment in China growing by 74 percent in 2016. Investment by Chinese companies in Germany has been fast expanding, exceeding 10 billion U.S. dollars in accumulative terms. Our personnel exchange has increased. There are more than 45,000 Chinese students in Germany, and over 30,000 experts and 8,000 students from Germany in China. It is fair to say that China-Germany innovation cooperation has become an example of cooperation between a developing country and a developed country, playing a pivotal role in China-EU cooperation on innovation.
当前，全球经济格局面临深刻调整，新一轮世界科技革命和产业变革孕育兴起，为各国创新合作带来了前所未有的机遇。德国基础研究领先，科技实力雄厚，发明创造众多，工匠精神蜚声世界，是公认的创新强国。中国市场规模巨大，人力资源丰富，产业体系齐全，互联网经济快速发展，在创新方面拥有得天独厚的优势。中德创新资源禀赋高度互补，可谓创新合作的“黄金搭档”。中方愿同德方打造更紧密的创新伙伴关系，在创新合作中实现知识和价值的倍增、创新效率的倍增，以创新升级促进中德全方位合作升级。
The global economic landscape has been undergoing deep readjustment. A new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation are in the making. This has presented unprecedented opportunities for innovation cooperation among countries. Germany excels in basic research, technology, invention and workmanship, and is well-known for being an innovation powerhouse. China, on its part, has a big market, abundant human resources, full-fledged industrial system and fast-growing Internet economy, which provide unique advantages in innovation. Such a strong complementarity in innovation resources has made our two countries natural partners. China is ready to enhance its golden partnership on innovation with Germany to multiply knowledge, added value and innovation efficiency through cooperation and boost our all-round cooperation with an upgraded innovation partnership.
我们要加强战略引领，握牢创新合作的“方向盘”。中德创新合作不局限于科技，而是贯穿经贸、社会、人文、生态、安全等各个领域。要保持高层密切交往，巩固政治互信，发挥好中德政府磋商等高层对话机制的引领作用，使两国创新合作始终沿着正确方向前进。下个月，习近平主席将访问德国并出席二十国集团领导人汉堡峰会，这是深化中德全方位战略伙伴关系、全面提升两国创新合作的重要契机。要加快推进中国创新驱动发展战略、“中国制造2025”、“互联网+”和德国“工业4.0”、“高技术战略”等战略对接，推出更多示范性项目。加强“一带一路”倡议和德国国际化发展倡议的战略协同，共享重大发展机遇，共同应对全球性挑战。
We need to strengthen strategic guidance and steer our innovation cooperation along the right course. China-Germany innovation cooperation is not limited to science and technology, but also runs through cooperation in economic, social, cultural, ecological and security fields. We need to maintain close high-level exchanges, cement political mutual trust, and fully leverage the leading role of our inter-governmental consultation and other high-level dialogue mechanisms to ensure that our innovation cooperation continues to move in the right direction.
Next month, President Xi Jinping will visit Germany and attend the G20 Hamburg Summit. This will be an important opportunity to deepen our all-round strategic partnership and elevate innovation cooperation. We should speed up efforts to synergize our development strategies, namely, China’s innovation-driven development strategy, “Made in China 2025” and “Internet plus” and Germany’s “Industry 4.0” and High-Tech Strategy, and roll out more pilot projects. We should also enhance strategic coordination between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Germany’s global development initiative, share major development opportunities and jointly tackle global challenges.
我们要突出市场导向，明确创新合作的“路线图”。创新只有面向市场、适应多样化需求，才会拥有广阔的空间。中方愿与德方进一步完善电动汽车、清洁水、未来城市、半导体照明等合作平台，创新商业开发模式，更好满足消费升级的需求；在人工智能、生物技术、物联网、新一代信息技术等新兴领域，鼓励采用“2+2”国际合作模式，加快应用研究和技术转移转化，更好适应产业升级的需要；在汽车、轨道交通、基础设施、农业等各具优势的领域，加强技术研发和生产制造合作，推进标准对接互认，共同开拓第三方市场。基础研究是应用研究的根基。中方愿学习借鉴德国基础研究的经验，鼓励两国高校、科研机构深化合作，在前沿领域催生一批重量级的研究成果。
We need to follow a market-oriented approach and lay out a roadmap for innovation cooperation. Only when innovation is geared toward diverse market needs can it enjoy vast possibilities. China is ready to work with Germany to strengthen cooperation platforms in such areas as electric vehicles, clean water, future city and semiconductor illumination, and introduce new models for business development to better respond to ever higher consumer demands. In emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, the Internet of Things and new-generation information technologies, we will encourage the “2+2” model for international cooperation and speed up the efforts of applied research, and the transfer and application of technologies to better serve the needs of industrial upgrading.
In areas where we each have our comparative strengths, such as automobile, rail transport, infrastructure and agriculture, we need to enhance cooperation in R&D, production and manufacturing, promote the harmonization and mutual recognition of standards and jointly explore third-party markets. Basic research is the foundation of applied research. China is ready to learn from Germany’s experience in basic research and encourage greater cooperation among universities and research institutes of our two countries with a view to producing a number of research outcomes with visible impact in frontier areas.
我们要推动大中小企业融通创新，重塑创新合作的“生态圈”。中德创新合作既包括大企业间的合作，也包括中小企业间的合作，还要重视大中小企业融通创新合作。中德既有不少“顶天立地”的企业“航母”，也有“铺天盖地”的中小企业。德国“隐形冠军”企业多达1300家，占全球近一半。中国也有数十万家科技型中小企业，大众创业、万众创新蓬勃兴起。大中小企业在创新方面各具优势，科技力量、资金实力、规模化生产等是大企业的强项，而奇思妙想多、经营机制活、市场反应快则是中小企业的优势。过去的创新合作中，大企业居主导地位，中小企业主要为大企业生产零部件、提供专业化服务等，是从属式的协作配套关系。现在的创新合作中，中小企业与大企业是双向的、平等的。许多中小企业依托互联网等信息平台，为大企业提供研发、生产、管理等全产业链支持，是嵌合式的融通创新关系，这种创新合作的新模式、新趋势前景广阔。中方愿同德方一道，成立中小企业合作政府层面的机制，推动形成网络式、集群式合作。搭建更多融通创新服务平台，提供政策咨询、人才培训、项目落地、供需对接、资金扶持等全方位服务。加快各类中德产业聚集区建设，打造一批大中小企业融通创新的示范基地。
We need to promote integrated innovation of large, medium-sized and small enterprises and reshape the “ecosystem” for innovation cooperation. We should not just focus on innovation cooperation among large companies but also endeavor to promote cooperation among SMEs and integrated innovation among companies of different sizes. China and Germany both have “flagship” companies that are the backbone of their industries, but also countless SMEs spread across all sectors. Germany has some 1,300 “hidden champion” companies, which account for almost half of the world’s total. China also has hundreds of thousands of high-tech SMEs, and a booming nationwide campaign of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Companies of different sizes each have their unique advantages for innovation. While big companies are strong in technology, capital and scaled production, the strengths of SMEs come from their innovative ideas, flexible business operation and sensitivity to the market. In the past, innovation cooperation was mostly conducted between big companies, and SMEs were mainly responsible for providing components or specialized services for big companies. This is a model of subordinate collaboration. Now, SMEs and big companies are engaged in two-way and equal cooperation on innovation. Through the Internet and other information platforms, many SMEs can now provide big companies with services covering the whole industrial chain, from R&D, production to management. This is a relationship of interconnected and integrated innovation. This new model and new trend of cooperation promises broad prospect.
China is ready to work with Germany to set up a government mechanism for SME cooperation, and promote networked and clustered innovation cooperation. We will build more service platforms for integrated innovation, and provide all-round services in policy consulting, training of professionals, project implementation, supply-demand matching and funding support. We will speed up the building of various types of Sino-German industrial clusters, and set up demonstration bases for integrated innovation of large, medium-sized and small enterprises.
我们要营造自由开放的贸易投资环境，挂上创新合作的“加速挡”。当今世界的创新，是开放的创新。贸易自由化、投资便利化之于创新，就好比新鲜空气对人一样重要。中德都是经济全球化的积极参与者，也是受益者，都坚定支持自由贸易。中国历来从大局和长远看待和处理贸易问题。中国对德货物贸易和服务贸易长期存在逆差，我们希望双边贸易趋于平衡，但我们认为不应通过贸易保护实现贸易平衡，而要通过相互开放市场、扩大贸易规模，在发展中逐步解决贸易不平衡问题。中国鼓励进口德国优质产品，欢迎德国企业到中国投资，愿同包括德国在内的欧盟国家推进双向开放、平等开放，为两国创新合作营造更加便利、公平的环境。我们也希望德国等欧盟国家放宽对华高技术产品出口管制，在投资审查方面公正对待中国企业，在签证等方面给予更多便利。
We need to foster a free and open environment for trade and investment, and gear up innovation cooperation. Innovation of our age is open in nature. Trade liberalization and investment facilitation are as important to innovation as fresh air is to human beings. China and Germany have both contributed to and benefited from economic globalization. We both stand for free trade. China has always approached trade issues from an overall and long-term perspective. China has a long-standing trade deficit in both goods and services with Germany, and we hope to see more balanced trade between the two countries. Yet, we don’t think this shall be achieved through trade protectionism. Rather, we should expand our trade by opening our markets to each other, and address the issue of trade imbalance in the course of development. We encourage more imports of quality German goods and welcome German investment in China. We want to promote mutual openness on an equal footing with Germany and all other EU members and create a more friendly and fair environment for bilateral cooperation on innovation. We also hope that Germany and other EU members will loosen restrictions on high-tech exports to China, and provide Chinese companies with equal treatment in investment review and greater visa facilitation.
我们要完善政策支撑体系，为中德创新合作添加“助燃剂”。创新之火，需要政策之油“助燃”。中方愿与德方一道，整合外交、经济、产业、科技等资源，加大公共资源投入，健全双边资助机制。中国国家开发银行将设立第二期中德中小企业专项贷款。中方支持两国各类创新主体共建智能制造联盟、科技创新联盟、职教合作联盟。深化人文交流，鼓励两国留学生和青年科学家加强交流，推动落实两国实习生交流计划，办好首个中德青年创新创业合作周。在创新合作中，中方严格保护企业知识产权，不要求强制转让技术。中方欢迎德国企业开拓中国新能源汽车市场。三方合作是中德创新合作的重要方向。两国在阿富汗矿业人才培训项目积累了有益经验，双方可在非洲等发展中国家推广相关合作模式。
We need to strengthen policy support to boost China-Germany innovation cooperation. The flame of innovation needs to be fueled by sound policies. China stands ready to work with Germany to consolidate diplomatic, economic, industrial and scientific resources, step up input from public sources and improve bilateral funding mechanisms. The China Development Bank will launch the second phase of the special loan scheme for Chinese and German SMEs. China supports innovation entities from both countries in forging alliances on smart manufacturing, scientific and technological innovation and vocational education. We should deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges by encouraging interactions between our students and young scientists, implementing the intern exchange program and ensuring the success of the first youth innovation and entrepreneurship week. In the process of innovation cooperation, China strictly protects IPRs of enterprises and does not require compulsory transfer of technology. We welcome German companies to explore business opportunities in China’s new energy vehicle market. Cooperation in third countries is an important area of China-Germany innovation cooperation. Our joint training program for mining professionals in Afghanistan can offer useful experience for our cooperation in Africa and other developing countries.