Xi Jinping Pens Article for Die Welt

In July 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) published a signed article titled “To Make the World a Better Place” in the German newspaper Die Welt ahead of his state visit to Germany and attendance at the G20 Hamburg Summit. The article, distributed by Xinhua News Agency (新華社), outlined the bilateral cooperation between China and Germany and called for “strategic synergy” between China’s Made in China 2025 initiative—a state-led industrial policy aimed at upgrading China’s manufacturing capabilities in high-tech sectors—and Germany’s Industry 4.0 strategy, which focuses on digitalization and smart manufacturing. Xi emphasized expanding Belt and Road cooperation and described the relationship as a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” building on language from his first visit to Germany as head of state in 2014.