German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany and China will stand by the existing nuclear accord with Iran, even as the US has withdrawn and expects its European allies to follow suit. Merkel made the statement during a joint news conference with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at Beijing’s Great Hall of the people during a two-day visit to China, Reuters has reported.
Despite tensions with the U.S., German officials have been keen to stress their continued commitment to trans-Atlantic ties and dismiss suggestions that Germany is seeking alternative alliances, even as they find common ground with Russia and China on the Iran nuclear deal and other issues.
Germany and China were among the five nations that negotiated the Iran deal and have called for it to continue despite the U.S. pullout.
Ahead of the trip, the chancellor said her talks with Chinese leaders will address issues such as the rule of law, the economy and trade disputes.
Amnesty International on Wednesday called on Merkel to bring up in her meetings the house arrest of Liu Xia, the widow of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, and call for her release.
The trip follows high-level talks in Washington between American and Chinese officials that have somewhat lessened tensions between the two countries and buoyed stock markets.
