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China and Germany held the first round of inter-governmental consultation on Tuesday, pledging to further boost bilateral ties and cooperation through this mechanism.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and China's Premier Wen Jiabao (L) address a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin June 28, 2011. Wen and Merkel aim to boost trade between the world's two biggest export nations to at least 200 billion euros in the next five years, they said at a meeting in Berlin on Tuesday. [China Daily]

The consultation, co-chaired by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is a dialogue mechanism aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two countries.

During the consultation, Wen said both sides aim to lift bilateral cooperation and exchanges in various fields to a higher level through this mechanism, saying it is in the fundamental interests of both countries and will also make a positive impact on the world.

Merkel, for her part, said holding the consultation helps map out long-term cooperation plans and have profound significance to bilateral ties.

The two sides reached a package of consensus, agreeing to promote sustained, sound and stable development of bilateral ties based upon the principle of mutual respect, strengthen communication and coordination on major global and regional issues and promote world peace and development.

The two countries also agreed to expand trade and investment, aiming to work together to attain the goal of 280 billion U.S. dollars in trade volume by the year 2015.

Meanwhile, they decided to forge a strategic partnership on electric vehicle and to expand cooperation in new energy, energy conservation and environmental protection and energy efficiency.

China has decided to set up a 2-billion-euro (2.8-billion-dollar) special loan to support cooperation between small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in industrial design, research and development in science and technology, culture and innovative industries.

The two sides also worked out a five-year agricultural cooperation plan to give priority to technical cooperation in such areas as bio gas and animal husbandry.

The two nations also pledged to improve an innovation and cooperation platform in such fields as life science, establish vocational education cooperation alliance and carry out exchanges on hospital management.

They decided to continue to carry out the rule of law dialogue and media dialogue, strive to successfully hold the Chinese Culture Year in Germany in 2012 and strengthen youth exchanges.

During a press conference after the consultation, Wen said the first round of the inter-governmental consultation showed the firm will and confidence of the two sides to boost cooperation and seek common development.

Wen also called on the two sides to strengthen their respective overall planning, and strengthen their communication and coordination so as to lift bilateral cooperation to a new stage of development.

Merkel hailed the first round of China-Germany inter-governmental consultation as a great success, saying it laid a even more solid foundation for the development of bilateral ties.

Germany is willing to cooperate closely with China to implement the consultation outcome and push bilateral relations to a new stage, she said.

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