President Xi meets German counterpart on stronger ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcoming ceremony for visiting German President Joachim Gauck before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on March 21, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Premier Li Keqiang also met with Gauck on Monday afternoon.

"China is willing to deepen trade and investment cooperation with Germany, " said Li, calling on the two sides to advance the alignment between China's strategy of "Made in China 2025" and German project of "German Industry 4.0" and actively build partnerships with markets in third-party countries.

"Industry 4.0" seeks to keep Germany's global competitiveness by integrating conventional industry with information technology. The idea is similar to the "Made in China 2025" strategy, which is part of efforts to upgrade itself from a big manufacturing power to a strong one.

Li welcomed German companies to expand investment in China, so as to achieve mutual benefit and win-win.

He also welcomed German Chancellor Angela Merkel to visit China later this year to attend the fourth round of China-Germany inter-governmental consultations.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Gauck Monday morning in the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

Liu, who is also president of the school, welcomed Gauck's visit and his conversations with experts and students there.

He introduced the governance and party building of the CPC to Gauck. The CPC is a political party that emancipates minds, seeks truth from facts and keeps pace with the times, Liu said.

Socialism in China is socialism with Chinese characteristics, which accords with China's actual condition and follows the trend of the times, he said.

China is willing to deepen party-to-party cooperation with Germany so as to enhance mutual trust, Liu said.