Chinese President Jiang Zemin said that China is confident in achieving economic prosperity.

Jiang made the remarks in his meeting with visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder yesterday afternoon.

"China is a country with a population of 1.25 billion. How to help 1.25 billion people get rich is a problem I think about everyday," Jiang said. According to a blueprint mapped out by Deng Xiaoping, some regions should get rich first. "After that, developed regions should help the under-developed regions," Jiang said.

"You first toured Shanghai on your visit. Shanghai and coastal regions are the most developed areas in China. However, we still have vast central and western regions." Jiang told the visitor.

Jiang reiterated that "China's goals are to solve the problem of feeding and clothing its poor population by the end of the century and then help the Chinese people lead a better life."

According to the Chinese president, there are developed, developing and under-developed countries in the world.

"Conditions in different regions in China also differ sharply. However, we are still confident that common prosperity will be achieved."

Schroeder told Jiang that he was impressed by Shanghai's dynamic economic growth and expressed his admiration for China's overall economic achievement. Jiang hoped the his guest will see more of China in the future.

On bilateral relations, Jiang said that Sino-German ties has witnessed remarkable progress after the two countries forged diplomatic ties and hoped such relations will have faster and better growth in the coming new century.

Schroeder told Jiang he and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji held very good talks yesterday. Both sides agreed that cooperative sectors are expanding, and economic and trade links are developing and have room for further development, he said. He told Jiang that the two countries could strengthen cooperation in such fields as insurance, service and environment protection.

Jiang said that protecting the environment has become a common goal for all humanity. Germany has advanced technologies in protecting the environment and China is ready to work together with Germany on environmental issues.

Schroeder described China "an important power in the world." " There are a total of 6 billion people in the world, of which 1.25 billion are Chinese," he said, adding that "developments and changes in China will affect the whole world."

The coordination of the world economy also needs China's participation, he added.

Schroeder reiterated Germany's support to China's admission into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Jiang extended gratitude to Germany's support. He said that " China maintains a vigorous attitude to enter the WTO." However, Jiang pointed out that "China is a developing country and the opening of its commodity and service markets will take time."

China's entry "should be beneficial to the stability and development of the Chinese economy and reflect the balance of rights and obligations." Jiang hoped that Germany will continue to support China's entry into the WTO.