China welcomes and congratulates Germany's Christian Democratic Union leader Angela Merkel, who is set to be the next German chancellor, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing Tuesday.

Kong made the remarks in response to a question about Merkel's success as German chancellor and the announcement made on Oct. 10 by the German Social Democratic Party and Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) on holding talks on the formation of a grand coalition government.

Kong expressed the hope that the talks will advance smoothly.

China attaches great importance to developing relations with Germany and is willing to make a joint effort with Germany to further develop bilateral ties in an all-round and comprehensive way, the spokesman said.

Merkel on Monday confirmed her victory in the September 18 general elections as the next German chancellor in a grand coalition government with the Social Democratic Party as a junior partner.

Merkel, the first woman chancellor in German history, will start formal coalition talks with Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democratic Party next week.

The new government is expected to be formally formed by late November.

Source: Xinhua