Premier Wen meets with German Chancellor

The heads of government of China and Germany agreed on Monday to establish a partnership of global responsibility within the framework of Sino-European comprehensive strategic partnership and expand close consultations on global issues.

In a joint statement issued following their talks, visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder called for renewed efforts to deepen cooperation, enhance multilateralism and close coordination and establish a world orderbased on mutual cooperation.

The Chinese premier and his German counterpart exchanged views on current international issues and reached broad consensus.They agreed to expand governmental dialogue on global issues between the two countries, said the joint statement.

The German government appreciates China's efforts in addressing the nuclear issue on Korean Peninsular and welcomes China's positive role in promoting more openness of the Asian regional cooperation, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the summit meetings between ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and China, Japan and South Korea, the joint statement said.

China emphasized Germany's special role within the European Union in the establishment of Sino-European strategic partnership.Both sides are willing to enhance Asian-European dialogue within the frameworks of Asia-European leaders meeting and the ASEAN regional forum.

They also pledged to strengthen cooperation within the UN framework. "As the most important multilateral mechanism, the United Nations is playing a central role in preventing and addressing global and regional challenges, crises and conflicts. Security and peace can only be guaranteed based on effective multilateralism," said the joint statement.

China and Germany called for strengthening the UN's role and pledged to support the UN's reform. Both sides highlighted the necessity for the Security Council to reform, including absorbing its members in a balanced way.

"China welcomes Germany to play greater role within the UN," the joint statement said. Both the Chinese and German leaders highlighted the significance of international peace-keeping operations. Both sides are planning to strengthen cooperation in helping Afghanistan establish its police institutions.

On bilateral cooperation in fighting against international terrorism, China and Germany oppose any forms of terrorism and urge the international community to improve and strengthen anti-terror cooperation. "The UN should play a central role in fightingagainst terrorism," said the joint statement.

Both sides pledged that their anti-terror measures will conform to the international law, including the international human rights obligations.

China and Germany also stressed the necessity of strengtheninginternational cooperation in disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Germany welcomes the non-proliferation measures taken by the Chinese government and supports China to join the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as early as possible and sign TheHague code of conduct on preventing the proliferation of ballisticmissiles, said the joint statement.

The Chinese premier kicked off his 11-day five-nation Europeanvisit on Sunday by arriving in the southern German city of Muncih,one day after the European Union admitted 10 new members. He flew into Berlin on Monday.

Germany is the first leg of Wen's tour which will take him to Belgium, Italy, Britain and Ireland. He will also visit the EU headquarters in Brussels.

Source: Xinhua