German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said at a press conference that his four-day official tour of China has been "a real win-win success" both in terms of politics and trade.

Asked about the results of his visit, Schroeder noted that major breakthroughs have been made in establishing a German-China Chamber of Commerce, which will help promote cooperation between small and medium-sized businesses of the two countries.

"Economic and trade cooperation is the central issue of the German-China relationship," he said.

Germany and China also share common interests in the area of environmental protection, which is a key topic for further cooperation, and related talks have seen great progress, he added.

On China's human rights conditions, the chancellor emphasized that progress could only be achieved through patient negotiations.

"China's situation has improved, compared with 20, 10 or 5 years ago. We must respect the process of change," he said.

He reiterated Germany's support for China's accession to the World Trade Organization, vowing that "Germany will offer its help. "