China congratulates Merkel's bloc on German election

China on Monday congratulated German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Union bloc on the victory in the country's federal election, calling for deepened ties between the two countries.

"China raises congratulations on the successful conclusion of the German federal election and to Chancellor Merkel for the triumph of her coalition parties," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a daily news briefing.

As strategic partners, China and Germany have agreed that deepening mutually beneficial cooperation will serve the interests of both countries, Hong told the media.

Attaching great importance to China-Germany ties, China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Germany's new administration and lift bilateral ties to a new level, he said.

Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and its sister party, the Christian Social Union of Bavaria, garnered 41.5 percent of the vote, emerging as the winner in Sunday's federal election.