Germany prods China on Ukraine war as leaders pledge to work together on climate

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, brief the media following government consultations of the both countries at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 20, 2023.(AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang briefs the media during a joint press statement with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz following government consultations of the both countries at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz briefs the media at a joint statement with Chinese Premier Li Qiang during government consultations of the both countries at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang, right, greets as he arrives to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, in front of the Federal Chancellery before the reception with military honors for the German-Chinese government consultations, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday June 20, 2023. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrive for a joint news conference during government consultations of both countries at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, receives Chinese Premier Li Qiang, right, with military honors for the German-Chinese government consultations, in front of the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday June 20, 2023. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sits on the left side of the table with German delegation, in front of Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the Chinese delegation as they take part in the German-Chinese government consultations at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday June 20, 2023. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, front row center, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, center left, pose with government members during consultations of the both countries at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, foreground center left, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, center right, leave after a group photo with government members during consultations of the both countries at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on a balcony during a meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Monday, June 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, center, receives Chinese Premier Li Qiang, left, for the German-Chinese government consultations, in front of the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday June 20, 2023. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, receives Chinese Premier Li Qiang, right, for the German-Chinese government consultations, in front of the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday June 20, 2023. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, center right, receives Chinese Premier Li Qiang, center left, for the German-Chinese government consultations, in front of the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday June 20, 2023. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, center left, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, review the honor guard during a welcome ceremony ahead of government consultations of the both countries, at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Demonstrators protest against the human rights situation in China on the occasion of the German-Chinese government consultations, in front of the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday June 20, 2023. (Joerg Carstensen/dpa via AP)

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Demonstrators wear masks depicting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a protest in front of the Federal Chancellery against the human rights situation in China on the occasion of the German-Chinese government consultations, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday June 20, 2023. (Joerg Carstensen/dpa via AP)

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From left, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China Zheng Shanjie pose for a photo as they arrive at the German-Chinese Forum for Economic and Technological Cooperation as part of the German-Chinese government consultations, in Berlin, Germany, June 20, 2023. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

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From left, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China Zheng Shanjie arrive at the German-Chinese Forum for Economic and Technological Cooperation as part of the German-Chinese government consultations, in Berlin, Germany, June 20, 2023. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

By GEIR MOULSON

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s chancellor pressed China to lean harder on Russia over its war in Ukraine on Tuesday, while leaders from both countries pledged to work together to combat climate change as two of the world’s biggest carbon dioxide emitters.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and about half of his Cabinet hosted a delegation led by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, making his first foreign trip since becoming China’s No. 2 official in March, as the two nations held high-level government consultations for the seventh time.

The meeting in Berlin comes a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, indicating an effort by Beijing to reach out to the West and improve frosty relations.

Germany is keen to maintain good ties with China, its biggest trading partner, despite wariness over Beijing’s growing assertiveness and refusal to criticize the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Germany’s recently published national security strategy describes China as “a partner, competitor and systemic rival.”

Scholz prodded the Chinese delegation to do more to persuade Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

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“I appealed again to the Chinese government to exert its influence even more strongly on Russia in this war,” he said, standing alongside Li. “As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, China carries a very special duty here.”

“It is important that China continues not to deliver weapons to the aggressor, Russia,” Scholz said, adding that he is “thankful” that China continues to make clear there must be no threat to use nuclear weapons.

Li didn’t respond directly or mention Ukraine in his statement. The two leaders took no questions.

Germany and China agreed at Tuesday’s meeting to set up a “climate and transformation dialogue.” Scholz pointed to extreme weather events such as droughts in China and floods in Germany to illustrate the importance of action.

In their agreement, the two sides pledged to work on achieving “practical results in the field of green and low-carbon development” that include combating emissions in the industry, energy and transport sectors. They also committed to helping each other improve energy efficiency, recycling and the development of emissions trading systems in both countries.

“As major emitters of CO2, Germany and China bear particular responsibility in the fight against climate change,” Scholz told reporters. “We will face this responsibility together.”

Li said that “dealing with climate change should become an important field of cooperation for both sides.”

The Chinese premier emphasized trade and economic issues in his comments. “Deglobalization is flaring up again and the global economy is lacking growth dynamics,” he said, according to an interpreter. He added that “China places great value on the development of relations with Germany and Europe.”

After visiting the European Union’s biggest economy, Li travels to France — the second-biggest — where he will attend the “Summit for a New Global Financing Pact,” which is being held at French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative.

Scholz has said he wants to avoid over-reliance on Chinese trade and diversify Germany’s supply of key goods — an approach he calls “derisking.” He said he reassured Li that “we have no interest in an economic decoupling from China.” The position was echoed last month by the Group of Seven leading industrial powers.

He noted that “access to the Chinese market and fair competition conditions for German and other foreign companies in China remain a challenge, on which we are pushing for concrete improvements.”

During a later joint appearance at a German-Chinese economic forum, Scholz suggested that those improvements would also help in fighting climate change.

“For every country in the world, it will be easier to reach its climate targets if we allow fair competition, open market access and a level playing field,” he said. “After all, competition fosters innovation.”

As Scholz and Li met, German security officials warned of the continued danger posed by Chinese espionage.

A report by the BfV domestic intelligence agency, published Tuesday, notes that China’s Ministry of State Security is actively trying to obtain information on areas of political, economic and scientific interest to Beijing, as well as on Chinese dissidents in Germany.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the country is also examining the potential risks from the use of telecommunications equipment made by Chinese company Huawei in Germany’s 5G networks.

“This inquiry will be completed in the summer and then we will provide an assessment,” she said, adding that this could result in Huawei equipment having to be removed.

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Associated Press writer Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.