China's Li says hopes to talk with Germany about human rights on equal basis

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday China hopes to talk about human rights cases on an equal basis with Germany during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the Chinese capital.

Li made the comments in a joint briefing in Beijing after the two leaders were asked about Liu Xia, the widow of Nobel Peace Prize-winner Liu Xiaobo.

Liu Xia has been under effective house arrest since her husband died of liver cancer in Chinese custody in July last year, according to Beijing-based Western diplomats.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Writing by Christian Shepherd; Editing by Paul Tait)