BERLIN - Germany and China pledged on Tuesday to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership and enhance pragmatic cooperation.

While meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the relations between Germany and China have a solid foundation.

Germany is willing to further strengthen its comprehensive strategic partnership with China, catalyzing bilateral ties through boosting trade and economic cooperation, strengthening cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, increasing cultural exchanges and deepening coordination and cooperation in international affairs, Merkel said.

Merkel also expressed her appreciation for China's new, commendable achievements in reform and development.

Yang, for his part, said that China-Germany relations have maintained a good momentum of development in recent years thanks to the efforts of leaders of both sides.

The two countries are good partners with much in common and sharing extensive common interests, Yang said.

He said the two sides need to make concerted efforts to deepen strategic mutual trust in the spirit of mutual respect and treating each other as equals.

Yang also urged the two sides to tap the potentials of economic complementarities, enhance all-round and pragmatic cooperation and promote bilateral cooperation in international affairs in a bid to maintain regional and world peace, stability and development and push for a more rational international landscape to safeguard international justice.

During his visit, Yang also held talks with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and met with David Gill, secretary of state and head of the Federal Presidential Office.