Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, April 09, 2002
President Jiang Begins State Visit to Germany
President Jiang arrived in Berlin Monday at the start of his six-day state visit to Germany. In an arrival statement, Jiang expressed the hope that his visit would help further the mutual understanding and trust between the two nations, boost their reciprocal cooperation and bring Sino-German ties to a new high.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin arrived in Berlin Monday afternoon at the start of his six-day state visit to Germany at the invitation of German President Johannes Rau.
It is Jiang's second state visit to Germany since his first in July 1995. Jiang and his wife Wang Yeping, accompanied by Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen, were greeted at the airport by Ruediger Frohn, chief of the German presidential office.
In an arrival statement issued at the airport, Jiang expressed the hope that his visit would help further the mutual understanding and trust between the two nations, boost their reciprocal cooperation and bring Sino-German ties to a new high.
The current international situation is now undergoing significant and profound changes, Jiang said, adding that the efforts by the two influential countries in their respective regions and the world at large to strengthen all-round bilateral cooperation are not only in the fundamental interests of both nations and peoples, but also conducive to the world's peace, stability and development.
China and Germany enjoy a long history of friendship, Jiang said. With the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1972, the Sino-German relations have entered a new phase, and marked progress has been achieved in bilateral cooperation over the past three decades, the past few years in particular.
During his stay in Germany, Jiang said, he would exchange viewswith President Rau, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and peoplefrom all walks of life on bilateral ties and international issues of common concern.
Germany is the first leg of Jiang's two-week five-nation trip, which will also take him to Libya, Nigeria, Tunisia and Iran.