China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, held a video conference with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday. 

Wang hailed diplomatic ties between the two nations, established 50 years ago, celebrating their "complementary" economies. 

Noting "the food issue caused by the spillover of the Ukraine crisis," Wang urged that "the international community should push for an early ceasefire and provide a green channel for Russia and Ukraine to export grain," adding that China is "willing to maintain communication with all parties."

Russia's attack on Ukraine has contributed to a growing global food crisis, with world leaders warning that the situation could lead to widespread famine.  

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The German statement said that during the conference, Baerbock "addressed the shocking reports and new evidence of very serious human rights violations in Xinjiang and called for a transparent investigation," in reference to a western media consortium publishing allegedly leaked documents which they claim cataloged abuses.

China has consistently denied any human rights violations. 

Berlin and Beijing have strong economic ties. According to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, China is Germany's main trading partner, which has been the case since 2015. Goods worth $263.5 billion were traded between Germany and China in 2021 alone.