Top legislator meets German chancellor

Wu Bangguo (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, shakes hands with visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder during a meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Dec. 7, 2004.

China's top legislator Wu Bangguo told German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Beijing Tuesday that cooperation between legislatures of the two countries has been highly fruitful.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC), expressed his appreciations to the German government for its adherence to one-China policy, its support of China's reunification cause and its stance of opposition to "Taiwan independence".

The Chinese NPC and the German Parliament have increased exchange of visits and have had "effective cooperation" in legislation, noted Wu.

"As a result, we have increased mutual understanding and expanded our consensus," said Wu Bangguo. "China's NPC is ready to step up cooperation and exchange with the German Parliament."

Schroeder promised that Germany will continue to pursue the one-China policy.

He said the existing good cooperation between parliaments of the two countries should continue and that exchange in other areas, including non-governmental and cultural exchange, should increase.

China and Germany signed 22 cooperative documents Monday. These documents covered the fields of railways, finance, bank supervision, aviation, cars, agricultural products and digital communication.

Chancellor Schroeder is on three-day working visit to China.

Source: Xinhua