Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid a state visit to the People’s Republic of China from 4 to 10 December, where he visited the provinces of Guangdong and Sichuan and the city of Beijing.

In Guangdong, the Federal President’s programme included talks with entrepreneurs about new technological and economic developments in the field of digital technology and a visit to a German-Chinese mechatronics vocational training centre. The process of economic opening was launched by Deng Xiaoping in Guangdong Province 40 years ago, paving the path for China becoming the second-largest economy in the world.

The Federal President visited Sichuan ten years after the devastating earthquake and gained a first-hand impression of the reconstruction and development in the region. His programme included a speech to students at Sichuan University in Chengdu.

The Federal President met political leaders in both provinces for talks.

He was welcomed with military honours in Beijing, where he held talks with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang. He also met Chinese intellectuals and visited the studio of artist Xu Bing. In addition, the Federal President held talks in Beijing on the societal and social challenges of digital transformation posed by artificial intelligence and big data and on the topic of e-governance.

The last state visit to China by a Federal President took place in 2016.

Overview of the programme:

Tuesday, 4 December

• Evening

  Flight to Guangdong (Guangzhou)

Wednesday, 5 December

• Morning
  Arrival in Guangdong (Guangzhou)
• Afternoon
  Visit to Canton Tower
• Walk across the river island of Shamian
• White Swan Hotel
  Talks with the Party Secretary of Guangdong Province
• Evening
  Banquet hosted by the Party Secretary of Guangdong Province
• Boat trip on the Pearl River

Thursday, 6 December

• Morning, Zhongshan
  Visit to the German-Chinese vocational training centre for industrial mechanics and mechatronics
• Foshan Robotation Academy
  Talks on the economic opportunities of digital transformation
• Afternoon
  Visit to the Cantonese Opera Museum
• Walk through the Liwan District (Old Town)

Friday, 7 December

• Morning
  Flight to Chengdu
• Afternoon
  Speech at Sichuan University
• Visit to the People’s Park
• Delegation hotel
  Talks with the Party Secretary of Sichuan Province
• Evening, delegation hotel
  Banquet hosted by the Party Secretary of Sichuan Province

Saturday, 8 December

• Morning, Dujiangyan
  Visit to Youai Xuexiao School
• Visit to the historical irrigation system
• Afternoon
  Tour of the Giant Panda Research Centre
• Thereafter
  Flight to Beijing

Sunday, 9 December

• Morning, Goethe-Institut, 798 Art Zone
  Round table discussion on digital transformation with Chinese and German participants
• Midday, Capital Museum
  Participation in the Körber Foundation’s Bergedorf Round Table
• Afternoon, Central Conservatory of Music, concert hall
  Concert by students and graduates of the Central Conservatory conducted by Professor Yu Feng
• Evening, German Ambassador’s Residence
  Reception hosted by the Federal President

Monday, 10 December

• Morning, Beijing, Wangjing district
  Visit to Xu Bing’s studio
• Visit to the Forbidden City
• Midday
  Talks with Chinese intellectuals
• Afternoon, Great Hall of the People
  Talks with Li Keqiang, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China
• Welcome with military honours by Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China
• Talks with the President of the People’s Republic of China
• Evening
  Banquet in honour of the Federal President hosted by the President of the People’s Republic of China
• Thereafter
  Flight to Berlin