German Chancellor to visit China, Japan

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will visit China and Japan from Dec. 5-10 to hold talks with political and business leaders there, a government statement said on Monday.

He will be accompanied by a large business delegation, said the statement.

In China, Schroeder will meet President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.

The China visit will also take him to the northeastern city of Changchun, where the German automobile giant Volkswagen has a joint venture.

The German leader has visited China once a year over the last years.

In Tokyo, Schroeder will hold talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and take part in a German-Japanese conference.