Li Keqiang, China’s deputy premier, pledged that his country will “enlarge its openness” to foreign investment in an attempt to keep western companies committed to China and complete its industrialisation by 2020.

In a closed-door speech to a select group of German industry chiefs and government officials in Berlin on Thursday night, Mr Li called for Germany and China to deepen their trade and investment ties.

The deputy premier, who is on a visit to Spain, Germany and the UK, also pledged that China would continue to “play an active role” on the international financial markets and stressed the country’s continued support for the euro and European integration.German officials earlier said it was possible that Angela Merkel, the chancellor, who is to meet Mr Li today, could use the talks to find out more about Beijing’s plans to buy eurozone government bonds.