The diplomatic relations between Chinaand Germanywere established in October 1972.

China Germany relations have on the whole made smooth progress in all fields, ever since the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

High-level visits of the two countries were exchanged frequently in between 1978-1989. The foreign ministries of the two countries set up a political consultative mechanism for mutual visits by the two foreign ministers and of regular consultation between their officials at different levels in different forms. Soon after the occurrence of the political disturbance in Beijing, federal Germanyjoined in the sanctions taken against China, thus the bilateral relationship dropped to the status of keeping contact in day-to-day affairs. Later, with joint efforts, however, their relations, step by step, returned to normal and began to improve.

In September 1990, the meeting between the two foreign ministers at General Assembly was restored.

In 1992, China Germany ties made further progress and were put back to the track of normal development.

In 1993, the German Government decided not to approve the sale of its submarines to Taiwan, the bilateral relationship trended toward positive development. In September, the German government put forward a new policy on Asiawith a stress on China, and in November the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl paid his third visit to China. In 1994, President of the NPC Qiao Shi and Premier Li Peng visited Germanyrespectively.

In 1995, there was an all-round development in the Sino-German relationship. In July, President Jiang Zemin paid a state visit to Germanywhereas German Chancellor Kohl had his fourth visit to China. The close relations between the two countries in the political field gave a strong impetus to the progress of the bilateral relations in other fields, the development of the economic and trade relations in particular. In June 1996, however, the German Parliament (Bundestag) adopted an anti-China resolution so called "Improvement in the Human Rights Situation", resulting in the bilateral relations seriously affected. In September, the foreign ministers of the two countries met when the UN General Assembly was in session; the German side emphasized at the meeting that the German Government abides by the "one-China" policy, and reaffirmed the view that Tibetis part of China; and the disputes on human rights shall be settled through dialogue. In November, President Herzogmade his state visit to China.

In April 1998 Premier Zhu Rongji met with German Chancellor Kohl, and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan met German Foreign Minister Kinkelrespectively at Asia Europe Meeting convened in London.

In October 1998, upon the reshuffle of its new cabinet, the German Government underlined the continuation of its foreign policy and attached importance to its relations with China. In March 1999, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan visited Germany. In May, Chancellor Schroeder had a working visit to Chinawhile in November he paid an official visit to China, during which he exchanged his views with Chinese leaders on the enhancement of their bilateral relations.

In March 2000, Chief of the General Staff Fu Quanyou visited Germany. By the end of June, Premier Zhu Rongji made an official visit there. In September, Wu Yi, member of the State council attended the opening ceremony of the Chinese Hall held at the World Exposition in Hannoverduring her visit to Germany. In October, Wei Jianxing, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of CPC, at the invitation of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, visited Germany whereas in November M��nterfering, General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, came to China for visit. In December, Federal vice-chancellor and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer paid a visit to China.

In February 2001, Federal Defense minister Sharping visited China, the first visit of its kind by a Germanydefense minister. In May, Foreign Minister Fischer attended the 3rdAsia-Europe meeting for Foreign ministers convened in Beijing. There were other important visits exchanged between high-ranking officials: in June, Deputy Premier Wu Bangguo paid a visit to Germany, at the end October, Chancellor Kohl made his third visit to China, in November Vice President Hu Jintao paid a visit to Germany, in March 2002, General Chi Haotian, Deputy Chairman of the Military Commission of the Central Committee of CPC, member of the State council and Defense minister paid a visit to Germany, the first visit of its kind by a defense minister. In April, President Jiang Zemin made his second state visit to Germany. In May, the German Government revised its strategy towards Asia, and attached more importance to the international position Chinaboasts in the world at large and its relations with China. In October, there was a series of large scale activities conducted by the two side separately to mark the 30thanniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations of the two countries; on this occasion, the heads of the two countries exchanged their telegrams of congratulation; and Former Presidents Sheel and Weizs?cker visited China. In November, Foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan visited Germany. In December, Federal Chancellor Schroeder made a working visit to Chinaand attended the ceremony of the magnetic levitated train opening to traffic in Shanghai.

(Source: www.fmprc.gov.cn)