Merkel starts China visit

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Beijing on Thursday, starting a three-day official visit to China.

File photo of German Chancellor Angela Merkel [Ma Ning/Xinhua]

Merkel is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and top legislator Wu Bangguo in Beijing. She will hold talks with Premier Wen Jiabao.

On Thursday morning, Merkel will deliver a speech at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

On Friday, Merkel will fly to Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, where she will attend a forum for Chinese and German businessmen with Premier Wen.

She will also visit the Chinese branch of Herrenknecht, a German company producing robotic tunnel-drilling machines.

In August 1997, Merkel came to China as minister for environment, nature conservation and nuclear safety. She visited the country as chancellor in May 2006, August 2007, October 2008 and July 2010.