German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that Germany wants to strengthen multilateralism together with China and that she is looking forward to her upcoming visit to China.

Merkel will visit China on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. It will be her first trip to China after her re-election as the 11th German chancellor.

Merkel said in a podcast published Saturday that, as Germany and China have agreed on regular political dialogue and intergovernmental consultations, she has visited China to conduct these talks on average once a year.

Photo taken on May 16, 2018, shows the scenery of Shenzhen. (Photos: VCG) 

Germany and China have cooperated very closely within the G20, Merkel said, adding that during her upcoming visit the two sides will talk about bilateral relations, rule of law, China's development, economy and other international affairs.

"We want to strengthen multilateralism. And that will play a role in our discussion," said Merkel.

Merkel will also visit Shenzhen, an economic hub and China's first special economic zone, in southern Guangdong Province.

"I am glad that I'm going to Shenzhen this time as well. I have regularly visited provinces in China, not just the capital. I am again and again aware of the dynamics and the extent to which China is developing," Merkel said.

The German chancellor said she was very interested in visiting Shenzhen where China's economic opening-up began and where many German companies are based.

Cover: German Chancellor Angela Merkel gestures during a press conference at the Bundespressekonferenz house on July 23, 2008, in Berlin, Germany.