German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to China presents a good opportunity for the two governments to promote their comprehensive bilateral cooperation and enrich their strategic partnership.

The fact that this is Merkel's fifth trip to China since she took office in 2005 and that last year Wen Jiabao paid his fifth visit to Germany as premier, highlights the frequent high-level exchanges China and Germany have maintained in recent years.

Sino-German trade and economic cooperation has thrived and become the cornerstone of bilateral interaction. Germany is China's biggest trade partner in the European Union. And, despite the severe eurozone crisis, bilateral trade reached about $170 billion in 2011. The two countries are working together to push the figure to $300 billion by the year 2015.

Closer economic and trade ties between Germany, well-known for its engineering and high-tech industries, and China, the biggest developing economy, will not only benefit both countries, but also help boost the stagnant European economy and even the world economy.

There is also great potential in the two sides expanding their cooperation in such fields as environment protection, agriculture, new energy and culture. As this year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Germany is hosting a Chinese Culture Year to promote mutual understanding and cultural exchanges.

With continuous efforts from both sides, there is clearly a bright future for their relations. This will also contribute to enhancing bilateral ties between China and the EU.

Since the eurozone crisis broke out in 2009, Chinese leaders have repeatedly thrown their weight behind Europe and expressed their confidence in both the European economy and the euro and China will continue to make Europe one of its main investment markets.

Wen said after his meeting with Merkel that China is considering greater involvement in the European Financial Stability Facility and the upcoming European Stability Mechanism. A stable and prosperous European economy is not only in the interests of Europe, but also China.

At a time when the world is facing formidable challenges ranging from the European debt crisis to the escalating Iranian nuclear crisis, both countries have everything to gain if they can deepen mutual trust and cooperate more on the world stage.