On August 27, 2007, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met at the Great Hall of the People with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, exchanging in-depth views on bilateral ties and issues of common concern in a candid and practical atmosphere.

During the talks, Wen positively evaluated the sound growth of Sino-German relations and said the Chinese government paid great attention to its relations with Germany and took Germany as an important strategic partner. China sincerely hoped for a long-term, healthy and steady development of bilateral ties, said Wen.

Wen pointed out that under the new situation, it is of great significance for both sides to correctly view each other and handle bilateral ties. He said China's development is an opportunity to Germany, not a threat. China, as a developing nation, sticks to a path of peaceful development and upholds opening to the outside world and cooperation with Germany based on equality and mutual benefits, he added. Currently with an increasing of challenges faced by the international community, it is urgent for all countries to strengthen coordination and cooperation. Against this overall background, the two countries have seen growing common interests and broader cooperation area. Wen said mutual needs between the two countries had been increasing and China was fully confident of the future growth of bilateral ties.

Wen proposed that both sides focus efforts in the future in the following four aspects. First, keep closer contacts between leaders of the two sides and exchange views on key issues in a timely manner. He urged both sides to give full play to the role of existing bilateral dialogue and consultation mechanisms and strive to promote media and people-to-people exchanges to build up political trust. Second, strengthen cooperation in energy and environmental protection. Wen suggested both countries actively carry out cooperation on clean energy, renewable energy, energy conservation and low carbon economy. Third, encourage more two-way investment. He called for supporting cooperation between the businesses of both countries on finance, logistics, construction engineering and software development. Both sides should join hands to achieve a balanced development of trade. Fourth, promote humanistic exchanges. China supports Germany to hold a series of cultural events in China and is also ready to host the "Chinese Culture Festival" in Germany at an appropriate time.

Merkel said her China trip, which came at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties, is aimed at strengthening exchanges with China, in a bid to continue pushing for bilateral friendly cooperative ties.

Merkel said Germany admired China's enormous achievements in its development process and understood the arduous tasks and challenges China faced in its modernization drive. Germany hoped China would have a better future, as its development was conducive to Germany and the world at large. Germany attaches great importance to China's enhanced international status and appreciates China's positive and important role in such issues as the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and the Sudanese region of Darfur. She said Germany was expecting further constructive dialogues and cooperation with China so as to jointly cope with the problems and challenges in the current world. She also reiterated Germany's one-China policy.

Merkel echoed Wen's proposals for the development of bilateral ties. Hailing the broad prospect of China-Germany cooperation, she expressed the hope that both sides will maintain close high-level exchanges, deepen cooperation on economy, investment and environmental protection and expand humanistic contacts, especially between the youth of the two countries. The president said she believed the ongoing German cultural events in China can help build mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, adding that Germany wished the Beijing Olympic Games a great success and hoped the event will bring about new opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

Wen also briefed Merkel on the Chinese government's policy and measures on controlling the quality of Chinese products and food safety. He said the Chinese government attached great importance to the quality and food safety issue. He said the Chinese government had continuously perfected its legal system and quality standard system, and strengthened law enforcement and supervision in this regard. Wen said China has never evaded relevant problems and has always treated the quality issue with a responsible attitude, but it was opposed to trade protectionism and discrimination against Chinese products. Product quality and food safety are challenges faced by all countries in the world and China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Germany in this regard, he added.

Merkel agreed to carry out exchanges and cooperation with China in the field.

Regarding climate change as a common challenge for the international community, Wen said China attached great importance to this issue. China stuck to a strategy of sustainable development and had achieved remarkable progress in tackling climate change and improving the ecological environment, said Wen. China is ready to actively participate in international discussions on climate change after 2012 based on the principle of "common but differentiated responsibility" and under the frameworks of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol (KP), he added. China is willing to maintain consultations and cooperation with Germany on this issue, Wen said.

Merkel called on all countries to stick to the fundamental principle of "common but differentiated responsibility" under the framework of the United Nations, and work together to tackle climate change issues. Germany was willing to step up cooperation with China on the issue of climate change, she pledged.

Wen emphasized that the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) is not only a requirement for China's cooperation with other countries, but also a requirement for China itself in its development. The Chinese government gives top priority to the IPR protection, he said, vowing that China will take all efficient measures, especially legal measures, in this regard.

Hailing China's positive efforts in IPR protection, Merkel said she believed China had set up a sound legal base and scored great results. She pledged that her country would like to continue deepening cooperation with China in this regard based on mutual respect.

Both sides also exchanged views on other bilateral and international issues.

After the talks, Wen and Merkel jointly met with representatives of business people of the two countries and attended a signing ceremony for bilateral cooperative documents including two framework agreements on the establishment of two working groups in the fields of energy and environmental protection technology and circular economy. Later they met with the journalists.

Prior to the talks, Wen Jiabao hosted a ceremony at the Square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People for Merkel's visit. Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of China National Democratic Construction Association Ma Peihua, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Chairman of the State Development and Reform Commission Ma Kai, Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng, Chinese Ambassador to Germany Ma Canrong and other officials attended the ceremony.