China expects the new German government to continue a proactive and pragmatic policy towards China and jointly promote stable and in-depth ties, Chinese Ambassador to Germany Wu Ken has said.

Germany's federal election came to a close last Sunday and the parties have started exploratory talks to form a new government, marking an end to the era of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Wu said no matter which political coalition governs, China will continue to regard Germany as an important partner and maintain close dialogue and cooperation with the cabinet, parliament and each party.

"Tackling global challenges requires more trust and cooperation in the world, and China and Germany should make joint efforts to this end," Wu said.

The ambassador said Merkel's 16 consecutive years as leader left behind a major political legacy in Germany and the European Union.

During Merkel's tenure, he said, the China-Germany relationship has achieved remarkable development, which has evolved from a "partnership with global responsibility" to a "strategic partnership" to the current "all-round strategic partnership."

Wu said the progress is the result of joint efforts of both sides, inseparable from Merkel's proactive and pragmatic policy of cooperation with China.

"The most prominent impression that Chancellor Merkel gave me is that she is willing to know and understand China with an open mind," Wu said. "She lacked understanding of China at first. Unlike a few other European politicians, she did not stick to political prejudice," he added.

The deeper Merkel understands China, the more objective and comprehensive her views on China become, the ambassador said, and her policy on China has been more rational and pragmatic.

Wu called Merkel "a politician who has a long-term strategic vision and values dialogue and exchanges."

Wu said that some media, think tanks and politicians have deliberately sought to strain China's ties with Europe, including Germany.

Wu noted the fundamentals of bilateral relations are generally stable and win-win cooperation remains at the core of the China-Germany relationship.

"Although there are voices of one kind or another, the pace of China-Germany cooperation has not slowed down, and the bilateral economic and trade volume has repeatedly hit new highs, which fully reflects the resilience and potential of cooperation," Wu said.

He noted that China and Germany are two of the world's major economies and countries of profound influence. Both share a common interest in promoting a global economic recovery, safeguarding free trade and coping with challenges such as climate change.

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