BEIJING -- As this year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period, China-Germany economic and trade cooperation will embrace increased opportunities over the next five years, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday.

China is willing to work with Germany to give full play to dialogue mechanisms including government consultations, strengthen alignment of development strategies and policy communication, and expand and improve trade ties between the two nations, Li said when holding talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Beijing.

Li called on both sides to invigorate traditional cooperation in sectors such as automobiles and chemicals, expand cooperation in emerging fields like artificial intelligence and biopharmaceuticals, and cultivate more new growth drivers for the economy.

China will import more high-quality products from Germany and encourage and support Chinese enterprises to invest in Germany, he noted, expressing the hope that Germany will provide a fair, stable and predictable business environment.

Both countries should support their universities, research institutions and enterprises to strengthen cooperation on joint R&D, talent cultivation and the commercialization of sci-tech achievements, Li said.

As two major economies and influential countries in the world, China and Germany should work together to safeguard multilateralism and free trade, strive to establish a more just and equitable global governance system, and inject further positive momentum into the cause of global peace and development, he said.

Germany is an important member of the European Union (EU), and China hopes that Germany will play an active role in promoting the development of China-EU relations, he added.

Merz said that he is pleased to lead a heavyweight business delegation to China shortly after the Spring Festival, which fully demonstrates Germany's high regard and expectations for deepening its economic and trade relations with China.

Despite Germany and China being geographically distant, they have close economic ties and huge cooperation potential, Merz said, adding that Germany stands ready to strengthen its high-level exchange with China, and to maintain regular dialogue in various fields in the spirit of candor and openness.

Germany is willing to work with China to promote the balanced, sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations, and to enhance cooperation in such areas as green transition and climate change response, he said.

Germany is willing to enhance its communication and coordination with China, work collaboratively to advocate multilateralism and free trade, and play an active role in promoting the development of EU-China relations, he noted.

Prior to their talks, Li held a welcome ceremony for Merz in the Great Hall of the People.