Wen Jiabao meets with German President Johannes Rau

German President Johannes Rau on Tuesday spoke highly of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Germany.

In his meeting with Wen, Rau said that the China is an important partner of Germany and that the Chinese premier's visit in Germany has aroused positive reaction in Germany.

Germany highly respects the great achievements of China's reform and opening-up and appreciates China's constructive role insettling the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsular and other questions of international concern, he said.

Germany will continue to uphold the One China policy, he said.

He expressed the hope that personal contacts at all levels and among young people in particular should be strengthened so as to promote understanding and friendship between the two nations.

Wen pointed out that in his talks with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Monday, they had a comprehensive review of the friendly cooperation between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1972 and decided tasks and emphasis of future development in bilateral relations as describedin a joint statement.

The Chinese side is willing to seize opportunities arising fromhis visit to further deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation as well as broadening cultural and personal exchanges and contacts with Germany, Wen said.

Wen noted that in the current international situation, which iscomplex and full of changes, China and Germany share growing common interests on vital issues of the world's peace and development.

The Chinese government pays high attention to its relations with Germany, regarding it as an important component of the Sino-European relationship and China's external cooperation, he said.

China is willing to see a more important role of Germany in international affairs, Wen said.

In his meeting with President of the Bundestag (lower chamber of German parliament) Wolfgang Thierse, Wen said that the current sound relations between the two countries are achieved after much hard working and should be cherished all the more in this regard.

The two countries should actively promote friendly relations, proceeding from an overall and strategic perspective and on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs, he said.

Thierse said that the exchange between the Bundestag and the Chinese People's Congress is rather dynamic as all parties in the German parliament support to actively develop friendship with China.

The German sides believes that exchanges and dialogue can be carried out between countries of different social systems on the basis of equality, which is in the interests of both sides and conducive to the realization of a diversified world, he said.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese premier also met former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union Angela Merkel and Chairman of the Free Democratic Party Guido Westerwelle.

Source: Xinhua