On the night of April 12, 2002, President Jiang Zemin met with Minister-President Sigmar Gabriel of Lower Saxony state in Goslar, Lower Saxony.

Jiang said that he is very glad to visit Lower Saxony, which is the last leg of his trip to Germany. He visited Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxong in the past few days. His visit to Germany is very successful and has left him with a deep impression. He held friendly and in-depth talks with President Johnannes Rau and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, during which they reviewed the development of bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany, and reached extensive consensus on how to further strengthen all-round cooperation between the two countries in the new century. Jiang also had extensive contact with people of all walks of life in Germany, and deeply felt the friendly feelings of the German people towards the Chinese people. China-Germany friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples, and enjoys an extensive foundation and broad prospects. To enhance the friendship between the two peoples and promote bilateral cooperation in all fields is our common aspiration and in the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples. He is fully confident of the prospects of China-Germany relations.

Jiang said that in recent years, the cooperation between Lower Saxony and China has developed constantly. Volkswagen AG he visited on that day is one of the first foreign companies that entered the Chinese automobile market, and has very successful cooperation with China. Lower Saxony has a big comparative advantage in energy, environmental protection, food processing, and fair organization, and has conducted productive cooperation with China. At present, the Chinese economy is developing very well. China's accession to the WTO and the implementation of the strategy to develop China's west will further expand the economic cooperation and trade between China and other countries in the world including Germany. He hoped that German enterprises, including those in Lower Saxony, will grasp the opportunity, further deepen cooperation with China and make active contribution to the development of China-Germany relations.

Minister-President Sigmar Gabriel warmly welcomed Jiang to Lower Saxony. He said that in the past decade, Lower Saxony has had very good cooperation with China. Besides Volkswagen AG's cooperation with China, Lower Saxony has conducted cultural cooperation with China. The Ministry of Education of China and Lower Saxony set up a Chinese language center in Hanover. Lower Saxony and Anhui Province has become sister provinces. It is believed that Jiang's visit will further promote mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation between Lower Saxony and China.

In the evening, President Jiang Zemin attended the welcoming banquet hosted by Minister-President Sigmar Gabriel.