China looks forward to working with Germany to strengthen strategic communication and practical cooperation, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.
Guo made the remarks in response to a media query about Foreign Minister Wang Yi's scheduled visit to Germany.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will pay a visit to the EU headquarters, Germany and France from June 30 to July 6.
"China and Germany are all-round strategic partners. Over the 53 years since the establishment of diplomatic relationship, the two countries have always got along with each other in the way of mutual respect, mutual trust and equal treatment, and have always taken the path of cooperation of mutual benefit and win-win development. Against the backdrop that transformations of the world unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace with various challenges interweaving, China and Germany, as the world's second and third largest economies and major countries with global influence, must demonstrate their responsibility as major countries and stand firmly on the right side of history," Guo said.
"Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit marks the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister to Germany after the new German government was formed. He will co-chair the eighth round of China-Germany Strategic Dialog on Diplomacy and Security with Foreign Minister Wadephul. China looks forward to working with Germany to implement the consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and Chancellor Merz in their phone conversation in May, work for closer strategic communication, strengthen practical cooperation, and push for new development of the China-Germany all-round strategic partnership, so as to inject certainty, stability and positive energy into the turbulent world," Guo said.
Spokesman on FM's visit to Germany
Spokesman on FM's visit to Germany
Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.
In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the U.S. Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce U.S. actions.
"First of all, we oppose U.S. imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The U.S. is attacking a sovereign country, and as [U.S. President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.
Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against U.S. military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on on Jan 3.
Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the U.S. for violating international law.
"We are protesting the way the U.S. handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.
Organizers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.
Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to U.S. military actions.
"We oppose U.S. imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.
Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela
