BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday, saying China and Germany should set an example of win-win cooperation.

Xi extended his congratulations to Merkel on her election as German chancellor for the fourth time, and Merkel congratulated Xi on his election as Chinese president by a unanimous vote on Saturday at the ongoing session of the 13th National People's Congress.

Xi said China and Germany should set an example of win-win cooperation, align their strategies, make a plan together for mutually beneficial cooperation in the next stage, push forward cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and achieve common development.

China and Germany should also lead the development of China-European Union (EU) relations, and play constructive roles in promoting China-EU strategic mutual trust and cooperation, he added.

The two countries should become advocates for new-type international relations, and be dedicated to maintaining economic globalization and multilateralism. They should support free trade, oppose trade protectionism and strengthen cooperation within the Group of 20 (G20). Jointly, they should maintain and improve the international order and the economic governance system, Xi said.

China and Germany should become cooperation partners despite ideological differences, Xi said. The two countries are partners, not rivals, he added. One side's development will bring opportunities to the other side, not challenges.

China-Germany relations will steadily proceed far as long as they adhere to equality and mutual respect, understand and care for each other's core interests and major concerns, and properly control and handle their differences, Xi said.

Merkel said Germany's new government is committed to developing closer ties between China and Germany. It will strengthen high-level contacts and institutional dialogue with China and boost cooperation in various fields.

Germany has always supported the Belt and Road Initiative and regarded it as a strategic bridge for Eurasia, she said, adding that Germany will contribute to the joint construction of the initiative through project cooperation.

The German chancellor also said Germany backs deeper EU-China relations, and will step up its cooperation with China within the framework of multilateral forums, such as the G20.

The two leaders also exchanged views on issues of common concern, such as the international trade order.