MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday met here with Friedrich Merz, chairman of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than 50 years ago, China and Germany have upheld mutual respect, treated each other as equals, and pursued win-win cooperation. This relationship has evolved into a comprehensive strategic partnership, which is a valuable asset for both nations, he said.
Over time, Germany's friendly policy towards China has proven to align with its own national interests and the aspirations of its people, as well as the trend of globalization, he added.
China is extensively advancing Chinese-style modernization, remaining committed to high-quality development and high-level opening up, which will bring new opportunities for Sino-German cooperation, Wang emphasized. He expressed the hope and belief that Germany, by upholding a rational and pragmatic approach, would engage in open and equal dialogue with China, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and continue to tell successful stories of mutual achievement and shared prosperity between the two countries.
China supports Germany in playing a greater role in global and regional affairs, particularly amid the current turbulent international landscape, and stands ready to enhance coordination and cooperation with Germany to jointly uphold free trade and practice multilateralism, Wang said.
Merz highlighted the deep-rooted foundation of Germany-China relations, noting that bilateral cooperation across various fields has made significant progress over the past 50-plus years.
The CDU/CSU union places great importance on its relations with China and closely follows China's modernization process, Merz said, expressing willingness to work with China to sustain the positive momentum of bilateral ties and further advance cooperation.
Germany firmly supports free trade, and deeper cooperation between Germany, as well as Europe, and China, and is willing to play a constructive role in facilitating the proper resolution of Europe-China frictions, Merz added.
The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue. ■
