Premier Li Keqiang met German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel in Beijing on May 24.

Gabriel is in the Chinese capital for the High-Level People-to-People Dialogue between China and Germany, a mechanism that helps develop cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Premier Li said a sound and steady relationship between China and Germany has positive significance not only to these two countries, but central Europe and the whole world.

China is willing to continue mutual respect with Germany, treat each other equally, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, duly handle differences and disagreements to boost further development of bilateral relationship and pragmatic cooperation, stressed Premier Li.

Premier Li said he will soon pay a formal visit to Germany at the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Premier added that he expected to strengthen political mutual trust, people-to-people exchanges and tap into potential for mutual beneficial cooperation via this visit. He said the countries could together send a strong signal of supporting economic globalization, trade and investment liberalization, regional peace and stability, and economic prosperity and development.

Gabriel said the solid and stable bilateral relationship is worth cherishing. This successful High-Level People-to-People Dialogue between China and Germany opens a new chapter for the two countries’ exchanges and cooperation.

Germany eagerly looks forward to Premier Li’s visit and is willing to deepen cooperation in all fields with China to promote their relationship to a new level, contributing to building a multipolar and free-trade world, he added.

Gabriel also met Vice-Premier Liu Yandong earlier in the day and later held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Wang said at a press conference after the meeting that the two had reached wide-ranged consensus in cooperational development, and more talks are expected in the coming two days.