Chinese Party Official Meets German Federal ChancellorWei Jianxing, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), met with Gerhard Schroeder, chairman of the Social Democratic Party and Federal Chancellor of Germany, on Tuesday.Wei, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, had a cordial conversation with Schroeder. Wei, also a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, conveyed to Schroeder greetings from Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji. Wei said that Schroder's two visits to China last year and Zhu's visit to Germany not long ago raised the two countries' relations to a new level of development. Both China and Germany are important countries and should respect their responsibilities for peace, stability and development in their respective regions and in the world at large, Wei said. He said the development of good relations and cooperation between the two countries are not only in the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries but are also conducive to world peace and stability. "We have confidence in the future of Sino-German relations," Wei said. Reviewing the history of contact between the CPC and the German Social Democratic Party, Wei said it is necessary for the CPC and the German Social Democratic Party, both ruling parties with important responsibilities, to share experiences, coordinate positions, cooperatively explore major issues regarding world peace and development, and promote the healthy development of bilateral relations. Since the new century is around the corner, Wei said, leaders of the two parties should expand friendly contact between the two countries in line with the principle of "seeking common ground while respecting differences in search of common understanding." The CPC is willing to join hands with the Social Democratic Party of Germany to develop the two countries' relations, Wei said. Schroeder, on behalf of the German Social Democratic Party, extended a warm welcome to Wei. He said he had the pleasure to visit China twice last year and met Chinese President Jiang Zemin and other leaders. Not long ago, he met Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji in Berlin, and he was glad to have the chance to meet Wei, he said. Schroeder said that bilateral relations have been developing smoothly in recent years and that it is of great significance to further enhance friendly exchanges between the CPC and the Social Democratic Party of Germany. He expressed his belief that the upcoming visit by General Secretary Franz Muentefering of the Social Democratic Party to China will help lay a foundation for concrete plans for medium and long-term cooperation between the two parties. Schroeder recalled the contributions of the late leader of the Social Democratic Party Willy Brandt to the development of German-China relations. He said that the leaders of the two parties should carry on the fine tradition of mutual understanding and cooperation, abide by the principle of seeking common ground while respecting differences, expand common interests and push the relations between the two parties and two countries into a new stage of development. |
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