Li reiterates opposition to EU trade measures

The sound and stable development of China-Germany ties carries enormous significance not only for themselves, but also for China-Europe ties and the world at large, Li said.

He said his visit is aimed at pushing the bilateral relations onto a fast development track so as to inject fresh impetus into the two-way comprehensive cooperation.

Li said his talks with Merkel are very fruitful, and the two sides have charted course for future bilateral cooperation and reached an important consensus on deepening the strategic partnership between the two nations.

The premier said the two sides agreed to keep strategic communication by maintaining the current mechanism of annual leaders' meetings and enhance consultations and communication at all levels.

Meanwhile, the two leaders also vowed to advance bilateral cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, agriculture, urbanization and people-to-people exchanges, Li added.

Strengthened ties between Beijing and Berlin would also help bolster China-Europe relations, he said.

China, the premier said, always views its relations with Europe from a strategic, long-term and overall perspective, supports European integration, and backs Europe's efforts to address its debt problems.

A untied, stable and prosperous Europe serves China's interests and also helps promote the construction of a multi-polar world, he added.

Li said it is quite common that China and Germany, two countries with different histories, cultures, national conditions, differ on some issues.

However, their converging interests have far overwhelmed their differences, and therefore they could expand consensus through candid communication and make friendship and cooperation the mainstream of bilateral ties, he said.

For her part, Merkel said the inclusion of Germany in Li's first overseas trip as Chinese premier fully evinces that Beijing highly values its ties with Berlin, which are keeping a good development momentum with deepened pragmatic cooperation in various areas and increasingly closer people-to-people and local-level exchanges.