The Sino-German relations in 2010 are to go ahead "in a smooth and healthy way", and the all-round cooperations between the two countries will continue to achieve outstanding progress, the Chinese Ambassador Wu Hongbo to Germany said in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua.

"When looking forward, we are confident about the future of the bilateral ties," Wu said. "In 2009, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Xi Jinping separately visited Germany, and both reached broad consensus with Germany leaders."

Moreover, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle visited Beijing on the first leg of his Asian trip in January, and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi would meet Westerwelle again in Germany 20 days later, when attending the annual Munich Security Conference in February.

"Much more and frequent high-level visits between two countries are being scheduled this year," the ambassador said. " Such exchanges will inject new vigor into the bilateral ties, and lay a solid foundation of cooperations in economy or other areas."

Yang and Westerwelle announced earlier that they agreed to meet twice a year, in order to enhance ties and share views on global issues. Yang is also the first Chinese foreign minister who take part in the Munich conference.

Wide-raging economic crisis did hit the bilateral trade of the two countries in 2009, but the drop was the slightest among their trade partners, such as the United States and Japan, Wu said.

"Germany remained as China's largest trading partner within the EU, and figures showed the trade volume of the two countries last year exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars," he said. "Both countries intend to further economic ties this year, while jointly opposing all forms of protectionism, and trying to pull the world economy out of crisis as early as possible."

On international stage, Beijing and Berlin would continue to "play a responsible role" in the face of global challenges, such as anti-terrorism, energy security, climate change and reform of the international financial system, the ambassador said.

"We should keep communicating on major international affairs and share broad common interests, which can promote both political trust between the two governments and the peace of the whole world, " he believed.

Culture exchanges would also be accelerated this year, Wu told Xinhua. "During the World Expo 2010, the project of 'Germany and China - Moving Ahead Together' would complete its three-year China tour in Shanghai, the host city of the expo."

The project, aimed at sharing German culture with Chinese citizens, is promoted by the German government and has invited German Federal President Horst Kohler and Chinese President Hu Jintao as joint patrons.

Since 2007, the team of the projects has visited major Chinese cities including Nanjing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenyang and Wuhan to promote German culture and innovations thorough forums, exhibitions and concerts.

"While some famous German museums, such as Altes Museum will visit China with their precious collections this year, many Chinese arts groups will also come to Germany, showing both the traditional and modern culture of China to our friends," the ambassador said.

"We all hold that the Chinese-German friendship should be deeply rooted among the people of the two countries," he said.

Related

• A review of China-Germany relations in 2009

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