China's President Xi spoke with German Chancellor Merkel - state media

FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcoming ceremony for Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos outside the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China May 14, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee

China's President Xi Jinping urged Germany to promote a "correct" policy towards China within the European Union in a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to a Chinese state media report on Friday.

He also said he hopes the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment could be ratified soon, according to a report of the call by CCTV.

The deal on investment, struck at the very end of 2020, is seen as unlikely to be backed by EU lawmakers while Beijing maintains sanctions on five of their colleagues.

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks as she takes part in a news conference after attending a European People's Party (EPP) meeting in Berlin, Germany, September 9, 2021. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi

China hopes to work with Germany and the international community towards peace and stability in Afghanistan, Xi said.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Xi held their first talks in seven months earlier on Friday, discussing the need to ensure that competition between the world's two largest economies does not veer into conflict.

(Reporting by Gabriel Crossley; editing by Philippa Fletcher)