Hello and welcome to Wise Words, New Interpretations.
In this series, we will explain the whys, whens and wherefores of foreign classical quotations used by Chinese President Xi Jinping. In this episode, we will be explaining the line : Wer alleine arbeitet, addiert. Wer zusammen arbeitet, multipliziert.
That’s German for “those who work alone, add; those who work together, multiply” in English.
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/jiC9B7PXX7k
On July 7, 2017, when attending the 12th Summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies and delivering a speech on the global economy, President Xi quoted this German saying, calling on G20 members to promote the spirit of partnership, jointly pursue interconnected growth for shared prosperity and build a global community with a shared future.
The world today is under the intertwined impact of once-in-a-century global changes and an unprecedented pandemic. Unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and economic globalization has encountered adverse currents, adding uncertainty to the recovery of the global economy. President Xi’s citation at the Hamburg summit remains relevant.
Given global supply chain disruptions, ocean shipping bottlenecks and soaring freight rates, the China-Europe freight train is becoming a new engine for trade between China and Europe. On September 28, 2021, Shanghai’s first China-Europe freight train, loaded with 50 containers holding cargoes such as apparel, glassware, auto parts, and precise instruments, departed for Hamburg, Germany. On October 7, another China-Europe freight train carrying exhibits for the China International Import Expo, left Hamburg for Shanghai.
Since the pandemic erupted, more than 1,000 trains have been operated on a monthly basis for 24 consecutive months, delivering Chinese goods to European consumers and producers alike. This service has also made it more convenient for European enterprises to export to China, contributing greatly to the expansion of China-EU trade and helping stabilize international industrial and supply chains.
In 2021, the trade volume between China and the EU exceeded $800 billion for the first time. As the world’s two major economies, growing China-EU business ties not only benefit their respective development, but are also conducive to the recovery of the world economy. In recent years, China-Germany cooperation has always been the bellwether of collaboration between China and the EU.
Despite pandemic shocks, China-Germany trade reached a new high in 2021, hitting 245.3 billion euros. While the new German Government plans to change the way it deals with China, purportedly to reduce over-reliance, Germany’s paid-in investment in China increased by 109.1 percent in the first two months of 2022. Both China and Germany are defenders of multilateralism and contributors to global development. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. Bilateral relations have seen high-quality development over the past five decades, during which the two countries have developed together and contributed to each other’s success through deepening cooperation. This can be attributed to a commitment to mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
Humanity is a community with a shared future. At this critical juncture when the global economic recovery encounters a “cold snap,” it is imperative that we bear in mind the importance of cooperation.
Unity and cooperation are the right choices in the face of crises. “The going gets difficult when going it alone; the going becomes easier when walking with many others.” This Chinese saying echoes the German expression, “those who work alone, add; those who work together, multiply.” Likewise, the G20 Hamburg Summit Leaders’ Declaration read, “What was true then continues to hold: We can achieve more together than by acting alone.” Let us all join hands to champion peace, development and win-win cooperation, address the current problems facing the world economy, secure a resilient post-COVID-19 recovery, and make the world a better place.
Media Contact
Company Name: Center for the Americas, China International Communications Group
Contact Person: Tao Zihui
Email: Send Email
Country: China
Website: https://youtu.be/jiC9B7PXX7k