Xi greets Merz on election as German chancellor

President Xi Jinping has called for China and Germany to work together to "weather storms and tempests" against the backdrop of mounting unilateralism and protectionism, and to jointly promote an equitable and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization.

Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory message sent on Tuesday to Friedrich Merz on his election as German chancellor.

Merz, leader of Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union, was sworn in as chancellor on Tuesday during a session of the Bundestag, the country's lower house of parliament.

Noting that China and Germany are all-around strategic partners, Xi said that since they established diplomatic relations 53 years ago, the two countries have respected and trusted each other, and treated each other as equals.

The two countries have consistently followed a path of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, growing into good partners who advance together and help each other succeed, he said.

They have worked to promote the steady and sound development of bilateral relations through high-level cooperation, he added.

While noting that today's world is marked by intertwined transformation and upheaval, with surging headwinds of unilateralism and protectionism, Xi highlighted that peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcomes remain the right way forward for humanity and an unstoppable trend of the times.

He called on China and Germany, as the world's second- and third-largest economies, respectively, and as two major countries with global influence, to follow the trend of history, uphold fairness and justice, deepen exchanges and mutual learning, and strengthen solidarity and cooperation.

Saying that he attaches great importance to the development of Sino-German relations, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Merz to stick to the original aspiration in establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries, enhance political mutual trust, deepen exchanges and cooperation, and open a new chapter in the all-around strategic partnership between China and Germany.

He also expressed his readiness to work with Merz to guide China-European Union cooperation in the right direction and jointly promote world peace, stability and prosperity.

On Tuesday, Premier Li Qiang also sent a congratulatory message to Merz on his election as German chancellor.

Li said that equality, mutual benefit, cooperation and win-win outcomes are the historical choices made by both countries and the most defining features of China-Germany relations, which should be carefully nurtured, inherited and promoted by both sides.

He expressed his hope for establishing and maintaining a sound working relationship with Merz, in order to help the two countries deepen exchanges, jointly promote development, enhance understanding and build consensus, and to guide China-Germany and China-EU cooperation in the right direction.