On May 4, 2004, German President Johannes Rau met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council at his presidential palace. The two sides exchanged views in a very friendly atmosphere.

President Rau expressed his welcome for Wen's official visit to Germany. He said that China has become an important partner of Germany and the visit by Premier Wen has won positive response in Germany. Germany very much respects the great achievements of China's reform and opening-up and appreciates its constructive role in such international affairs as the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. Germany will continue to uphold the one-China policy and Germany-China relations have enjoyed a solid foundation. He hoped that the two countries would further expand personal contacts at all levels and in particular encourage and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the youths of the two countries.

Wen conveyed the greetings from President Hu Jintao and other Chinese state leaders to President Rau. Wen said that he and German Chancellor Schroeder held wonderful talks on May 3. The two sides conducted a comprehensive review and prospect of their friendly relations of cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 32 years ago and defined the tasks and emphasis of future development in bilateral relations. The two sides also issued a joint statement. The Chinese side stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to deepen economic and trade cooperation and expand cultural and personnel exchanges between the two countries.

Wen said that with current international situations being complicated and full of change, China and Germany share increasing common interests in significant issues concerning world peace and development. The Chinese government attaches great importance to its relations with Germany and views it as an important part of Sino-European relations and external cooperation. China is willing to see a more important role to be played by Germany in international affairs.

On the same day, Wen met with President of the Bundestag (lower chamber of German parliament) Wolfgang Thierse. He said that the exchanges between China's National People's Congress (NPC) and the Bundestag are an important part of Sino-Germany relations and currently these relations remain sound. Since this situation has been achieved through much hard working, the two sides should cherish it with doubled efforts and actively promote bilateral friendly relations from an overall and strategic perspective and on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs. Thierse indicated that just as Germany-China political and economic relations have developed, the exchanges between the Bundestag and China's NPC are also quite active. All parties and groups in the parliament support to actively develop Germany-China relations. Germany held that countries of different social systems could carry out cooperation and dialogue on an equal basis, which is in the common interests of both sides and conducive to the realization of a diversified world. Wen also conveyed the greetings from Chairman Wu Bangguo of the Standing Committee of the NPC to Thierse.

Earlier in the day, Wen also met with former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union Angela Merkel, and Chairman of the Free Democratic Party Guido Westerwelle.