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FM: China welcomes Merkel's victory
By Qin Jize (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-10-12 05:44 China extended congratulations yesterday to German conservative leader Angela Merkel on her victory in becoming Germany's first woman chancellor in a grand coalition government. Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said China hopes Germany's ongoing coalition negotiations can proceed smoothly. He also said China always gives a high priority to relations with Germany and is willing to join hands with Germany in pushing forward the comprehensive development of bilateral ties. Xinhua reported that Merkel on Monday pledged to continue to upgrade the already close ties with China, begun by Helmut Kohl and expanded under outgoing Gerhard Schroeder since 1998. Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and Schroeder's Social Democratic Party reached a power-sharing agreement on Monday. Rumsfeld's visit to Beijing The spokesman also revealed that US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld would start his visit to Beijing from October 18 to 20, his first visit to China since assuming office in 2001. Kong said Rumsfeld would meet with leaders from the government and military to improve bilateral ties as well as military exchanges. "We believe the visit is key to enhancing mutual understanding and trust," Kong said. Rumsfeld's visit is expected to create a positive environment ahead of US President George W. Bush's visit to China in November. Issues with Japan Kong also announced that the third round of China-Japan Strategic Dialogue would be held in Beijing from Friday through next Monday. The first two rounds of the talks were held in Beijing in May and in Tokyo in June. Kong also told the press that a new round of talks on the disputes in the East China Sea would be held by the end of this month. China will press Japan to take full responsibility to properly dispose of leftover chemical weapons from the World War II (1939-45) era, Kong said. A Japanese cabinet official began a five-day China trip yesterday. (China Daily 10/12/2005 page2)
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