Li Peng and his wife, Zhu Lin, met with former German President Alter Scheel, his wife and other German guests, who are here for the celebration activities of the 30th anniversary of the forging of diplomatic ties between China and Germany.

Li said bilateral ties had made great strides over the past three decades, with frequent top-level exchanges and the deepening of mutual understanding and trust.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin's second state visit to Germany in April this year, said Li, has promoted bilateral relations to anew high.

Li went on to say that China and Germany had great potential to boost trade and economic cooperation, and substantial outcome has also been scored in bilateral cooperation and exchanges in the high tech, environmental and legal fields.

Sino-German relations have been the best since the forging of bilateral ties, Li added.

Li also briefed the German guests, among other topics, on China's economic development, foreign policy, and National People's Congress system, as well as the drive towards "rule of law".

Scheel reviewed his visit to China back in 1972 when the two countries signed a communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and said the relations had since grown smoothly.

Moreover, Scheel said he was surprised to see the immense changes in China.

Scheel and his party are here for the celebration of the forging anniversary of Sino-German ties at the invitation of Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.

(People's Daily October 12, 2002)