Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Berlin Nov. 11, 2005. President Hu Jintao is on a three-day state visit to Germany. (Xinhua Photo)

    BERLIN, Nov. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Friday that China stands ready to join hands with Germany to deepen bilateral cooperation based upon the already-good relations.

    During his meeting with Germany's outgoing chancellor Gerhard Schroeder at the chancellor's office, Hu said that Schroeder has, over the past seven years in office, made significant contributions to the friendly relations between China and Germany.

    Schroeder said he has deep affection for China and President Hu is the last head of state he has met as the German chancellor, adding this fully shows that the two nations and their leaders enjoy a close relationship.

    Speaking about bilateral relations, Hu said that fruitful cooperation between China and Germany has brought concrete benefits to the two peoples, and also promoted world peace, stability and prosperity.

    Germany is China's largest trading partner in Europe and China is Germany's largest in Asia. Germany is also the first developed country to have signed law exchange and cooperation agreements with China and jointly built science-promotion centers with China.

    Hu told Schroeder that China will steadfastly attach importance to developing relations with Germany.

    To push the relations to a new high, China hopes that both sides will intensify high-level contacts, enhance political mutual trust and strategic coordination, expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation, promote mutual investment and increase cooperation in humanities and culture, the Chinese president noted.

    Schroeder told Hu that the one-China policy is the foundation of Germany's policy toward China and there will not be any change to it.

    German-Chinese relations have entered a phase of an all-round development, Schroeder said. Besides the fruitful achievements in trade and investment cooperation, the two sides have also made constant progress in cultural, educational and high-tech exchanges and cooperation, he added.

    Talking about energy cooperation, Hu said that the energy issue is an important factor influencing the sustainable development of the world economy.

    He said China attaches great importance to the development and use of energy resources, especially water, solar and biological energy, to achieve sustainable development.

    Germany has advantages in technologies for clean and renewable energy, and China hopes to deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation in this field, he added.

    The two leaders also discussed international and regional issues of common concern.

    Schroeder praised China's active role in the process of seekinga peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

    The outgoing chancellor stressed that Germany attaches importance to China's influence in peacefully solving the Iranian nuclear dispute, adding that Germany also hopes to have more cooperation with China in Afghanistan's reconstruction.

    Hu reaffirmed that China will continue to play a constructive role in the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and maintaining regional peace and stability.

    The Chinese leader emphasized that China has always opposed nuclear proliferation and upheld that the Iranian nuclear issue beresolved within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

    China supports Germany and other European Union (EU) countries in seeking a long-term solution to the nuclear dispute through dialogues and negotiations with Iran, Hu said.

    He also noted that China stands ready to provide aid to Afghanistan and work together with the world community to promote the country's stability.

    Hu arrived here Thursday for a state visit to Germany after a three-day tour in Britain. He will also visit Spain and South Korea, where he is to attend the 13th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting on Nov. 18-19. Enditem