BERLIN -- Visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang here Sunday reaffirmed his country's firm opposition to trade protectionism, warning that it benefits nobody and will deal a heavy blow to the global economic recovery.

Speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Li said that "against the backdrop of the lingering global financial crisis and a world economy which has not fully recovered, the practices of trade protectionism will undoubtedly head toward disaster."

He also called for maintaining multilateral trade regulations while promoting regional and state-to-state trade negotiations.