German leader visits China

Chancellor Schroeder received a traditional Chinese welcome

The German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, is in China at the start of a four-day visit aimed at boosting the already burgeoning trade between the two countries.

He is accompanied by the Transport Minister, Manfred Stolpe, and a large delegation of top businessmen, including the chairmen of major German companies such as Siemens and Volkswagen.

Mr Schroeder is due to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wen Jiabao, the President, Hu Jintao, and business leaders.

German officials say they will raise human rights issues during the visit - Mr Schroeder's fifth in five years.

On Thursday, he will travel to Kazakhstan.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service