Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Beijing, capital of China, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Beijing on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China is willing to work with France to follow the guidance of the consensus reached by the two heads of state, enhance dialogue across all domains and levels, transcend differences and deepen cooperation.

He said that in the current international situation, China and France should assume the responsibility of major countries, enhance strategic coordination, and support each other's significant multilateral propositions and initiatives.

Noting that China regards France as a priority partner in achieving high-quality development, Wang said China is willing to deepen cooperation with France in traditional sectors, encourage mutual investment, and expand cooperation in emerging fields to inject new momentum into bilateral cooperation.

He also called on the two sides to deepen mutual understanding and friendship to solidify the public support foundation.

Barrot spoke highly of the pragmatic cooperation achievements between France and China. He said the current international situation is marked by increasing uncertainty and a rise in protectionism, rendering the importance of France-China relations even more prominent.

France regards China as an important partner, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and is committed to developing a future-oriented and long-term stable relationship with China. France supports free trade, opposes decoupling, and is against trade wars, he added.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-EU relations. Noting that the cooperation between China and the EU outweighs competition, and consensus surpasses differences, Wang said there are ample conditions to further enhance the relationship between the two sides.

Barrot said that France supports dialogue between the EU and China to solve their trade differences.

After the talks, China and France issued a joint statement on climate change.