Li says ties with Germany will grow stronger

China is ready to coordinate with Germany on a new round of consultations between the two governments to enhance pragmatic planning, Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday.

Li made the remarks during a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The two leaders spoke highly of the development of bilateral relations and cooperation between China and Germany over the past year. Li said China is willing to deepen high-level exchanges with Germany and take bilateral cooperation to a higher level and a wider range of sectors.

"China welcomes efforts by businesses from around the world, including Germany, to expand their investment in China and promote technological and knowledge cooperation," Li said. He said China is ready to create a level playing field for both foreign and domestic investors, giving full play to the role of the market, and to introduce more incentives for a win-win business environment.

The two countries have maintained good communication and coordination on important global issues, Li said.

Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of Sino-German diplomatic relations, Li said President Xi Jinping's state visit to Germany and his attendance at the G20 Summit in Hamburg in July were great successes. This year's annual prime ministers' meeting between China and Germany, which took place in Berlin in May, also had a fruitful outcome, he said.

Merkel said China and Germany have always been committed to developing bilateral ties. She said Germany is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China to facilitate trade and enhance coordination, and to start preparing a new round of consultation between the two governments at an early date.