China, Germany can cooperate on economic restructuring, Hu says

DUSSELDORF, Germany, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said Saturday that China and Germany can strengthen cooperation in the fields of economic restructuring and transformation.

During his meeting here with Juergen Ruettgers, premier of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hu noted that the German state has accumulated rich experiences in economic restructuring and transformation.

China is ready to work with Germany, including Nordrhein-Westfalen, for closer cooperation in such fields as economy, culture, education, and science and technology, Hu said.

Ruettgers said that his state will take Hu's visit as an opportunity to further strengthen its friendly cooperation with China.

The Chinese president arrived here earlier in the day from Berlin, where he held talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and his successor, Angela Merkel, as well as German President Horst Koehler in the past two days.

On Saturday afternoon, Hu toured a commercial district run by the German corporation RAG and an IKEA distribution center in Dortmund. Both were transformed from coal mine facilities.

Hu also visited the family of Guenter Twardy, a retired RAG worker who once worked in China, in the suburbs of Dortmund and was warmly welcome by the Twardy family and their neighbors.

The Chinese president thanked Twardy for his contributions to cooperation between German and Chinese enterprises.

Source: Xinhua