Clemens von Goetze, the German Ambassador to China, gives a speech. Photo: Huang Yiran/GT

Inset: Artists paint the wall marking the 25th city partnership anniversary between Beijing and Berlin. Photo: Huang Yiran/GT

Themed "Echt Berlin (Really Berlin)," the German Embassy in China kicked off the Open Day event on May 18 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall as well as the 25th city partnership anniversary between Beijing and Berlin. Diplomats, entrepreneurs, students and other culture lovers from Germany and China gathered together at the embassy to taste German beer and food and enjoy singing and dancing performances. Chinese actor Feng Yuanzheng and writer Jiang Fangzhou were invited to share their experiences in Germany. The Beijing Queer Chorus, Berlin musicians CATNAPP and DJ Pei also performed at the event.

During the press conference held in the morning, Clemens von Goetze, the German Ambassador to China, shared his views on the bilateral ties between China and Germany. "Over the past years, Berlin and Beijing have established strong and active ties in economy, culture and education," the ambassador said. "Big cities are facing similar developmental problems, such as high housing prices, transportation problems and how to build smarter cites." He expressed his hope that China and Germany can work together to solve these problems.

Goetze said that today China is Germany's most important trade partner. China and Germany's trade relations are of great importance. Germany also wants to strengthen communications and cooperation in WTO reform and the negotiations on the EU-China bilateral investment treaty.