China, Britain Sign $2.2 Billion Trade Deals

Posted June 27th, 2011 at 3:50 pm (UTC-5)
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has traveled to Germany after wrapping up a three-day visit to Britain where he and British Prime Minister David Cameron signed trade deals worth $2.2 billion.

At their Monday summit, both leaders expressed optimism about increasing bilateral trade with a goal of $100 billion by 2015. But they also voiced differences over human rights and Libya.

Mr. Wen called for a negotiated settlement to the Libyan crisis. Referring to the NATO air campaign against pro-Gadhafi forces, he said, “Foreign troops may be able to win war but they can hardly win peace.”

Mr. Cameron told reporters he raised the issue of human rights during his talks with the Chinese premier. But he added, there is no 'trade-off” between trade and human rights.

Mr. Wen said the two countries should “engage in more cooperation than finger-pointing.”

Germany is the final stop of Mr. Wen's three-nation European tour. The German Chancellor is holding a formal dinner in his honor in Berlin, the German capital.

Mr. Wen's trip to Europe, which included a stop in Hungary, coincides with the release in China of Hu Jia, one of the country's most prominent dissidents, along with activist artist Ai Weiwei.