Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said in Berlin Thursday that China and Germany should join hands in expanding economic cooperation to achieve mutual benefits.

Speaking at a dinner with German and Chinese business representatives, Li said that China has the capability and condition to maintain steady and relatively fast economic growth in the long run.

But he added China is still a developing country and that it needs to make long-term and strenuous efforts to achieve its modernization goals and enable all the Chinese people to enjoy the benefits of economic and social development.

On China-Germany relations, Li said that the two countries, through close cooperation and coordination, have achieved an early and robust recovery from the global financial crisis.

He noted bilateral trade is expected to exceed 140 billion U.S. dollars last year, 30 times more than that of 1990.

The Chinese leader said both sides should broaden fields of cooperation and set up new mechanism of collaboration.

The two countries should not only deepen cooperation in traditional areas like machinery, chemical industry and automobile industry, but also explore new cooperation in new energy, new material, energy efficiency, environmental protection, low-carbon technology and green economy, Li said.

He called for more two-way investment, adding that bilateral trade still has great potential for further expansion.

Li also expressed the hope that Germany keeps its market open and opposes trade protectionism along with China.

He said that China will take a more open attitude to the outside world, and will continue to improve investment environment, and provide a fair, stable, orderly, transparent and predictable market environment for all foreign companies in China.

While stressing that both sides should expand technological cooperation, Li urged Germany to simplify visa procedures for Chinese businesspersons, and to help relax European Union (EU) restrictions on high-tech exports to China.

In addition, the two sides should intensify cultural and people-to-people exchanges, laying a more solid foundation for bilateral ties, Li said.

Stressing that China attaches great importance to its relations with the EU, Li said China wants to see a united and prosperous EU, and hopes to promote political mutual trust, deepen pragmatic cooperation with the bloc and push forward the Sino-EU comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.

Li expressed confidence that Europe will overcome its current economic and fiscal difficulties, and maintain its economic stability and healthy growth.

Earlier on Thursday, Li met with German Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle.

The German minister pledged to advance Germany-China economic ties and invited China to be the partner country of the Hannover Fair 2012, the world's largest industrial fair.

Accepting the offer, Li said that China is willing to use the platform to showcase "made-in-China" products and boost exports of Chinese manufactured goods.

The Chinese vice premier arrived in Berlin earlier in the day, kicking off a four-day official visit to Germany. He is due to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and meet President Christian Wulff and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Friday.

Before arriving in Germany, Li had visited Spain. He will later travel to Britain, the last leg of his three-nation European tour.