German Parliamentary President: German-Chinese Ties in Good TrendWolfgang Thierse, president of the German parliament Bundestag, told Chinese lawmakers Wednesday that the German-Chinese relationship was "developing in a very good trend" and it would continuously move forward in the future.While meeting with a delegation of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) in Berlin, Thierse said the friendly contacts between the two parliaments in recent years had best proved that German-Chinese ties were developing positively. Germany "highly esteemed" China, first because of the latter's progress in the era of reform and opening, and second because of the great potential that the Chinese people had showed, Thierse told Zeng Jianhui, chief of the the NPC's foreign affair sub-commission, who led the Chinese delegation. Germans also admire the traditional civilization of China, Thierse told the Chinese legislators. Zeng agreed with Thierse's positive remarks on the German-Chinese relationship, and thanked Germany's support for "one China, "saying that Germany had never tried to develop official ties with Taiwan; nor had it sold weapons to the island. Zeng briefed the German side on China's recent progress in economy, law making and enforcing, and human rights affairs. Naturally Germans and Chinese hold deferent viewpoints on some issues, said Thierse, stressing that both sides should raise common sense through more contacts and dialogues. Before this meeting, the Chinese delegation had talked with the sub-commission for foreign affairs of the German parliament. The two meetings were held at the historical Bundestag building in Berlin. Both sides said these "friendly and frank" talks were beneficial to enhancing mutual understanding and propelling cooperation. The Chinese legislators who arrived in Berlin Tuesday said they would further meet with their German counterparts and high-ranking German officials. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |