Li, Merkel to meet via videoconference on Thursday

Premier Li Keqiang will hold a video-conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying has announced.

The meeting, which comes on the heels of a phone conversation between President Xi Jinping and Merkel last week, again fully indicated the political mutual trust and close cooperative relations between the two countries, Hua said.

She noted that China and Germany have worked together and helped each other during the joint fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and both nations assumed their responsibilities in promoting international solidarity and cooperation, and supporting the World Health Organization.

During their talks, Li and Merkel are expected to exchange opinions over relations and cooperation on bilateral and China-European Union fronts, as well as global cooperation on fighting the pandemic and exploring possibilities to further pragmatic cooperation in more sectors, Hua said.

Beijing looks forward to greater progress in bilateral relations from the meeting, she added.