New German consulate general opens in NE China

Germany has opened a new consulate general in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. The consulate's Friday opening underlines the important role northeast China plays in bilateral exchanges, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said. The consulate is the fifth German consulate general in China following those established in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Hong Kong. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-Germany diplomatic relations. The two countries have made rapid progress in trade and exchanges over the past 40 years, Westerwelle said. Liaoning had attracted investment from more than 373 German companies with a total volume of 1.2 billion U.S. dollars as of the end of 2011, according to official figures. Companies like Siemens, BMW and Volkswagen have set up plants in the province. An international air route connects Shenyang with the German city of Frankfurt.