China, France should act as forces for stability, openness, inclusiveness, unity: Chinese FM

PARIS, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday called on China and France to act as forces for stability, openness, inclusiveness and unity.

Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks here during a joint press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot.

Wang said that the two foreign ministers held talks and co-chaired the 7th meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges, engaging in in-depth, positive and candid exchanges on China-France and China-EU relations, and reaching a series of important consensuses.

The two sides aligned their efforts in the field of cultural exchanges and made new plans for cooperation, he said.

Both sides agreed that given the current complex and turbulent international situation, major countries should take on greater responsibilities. As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and France should adhere to the founding principles of the United Nations, uphold the spirit of independence and self-reliance that underpinned the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and jointly contribute to world peace, stability and development, Wang said.

First, China and France should strengthen strategic communication and serve as forces for stability, he said.

Noting that China-France relations are highly strategic and forward-looking, he said that regardless of changes in the international situation, China and France are both willing and capable of forging consensus, properly handling differences and deepening cooperation through communication and dialogue to ensure stable and sustained development of bilateral relations.

Respecting each other's core interests is the cornerstone of strategic mutual trust between China and France, Wang said, noting China appreciates France's reiterated commitment to the one-China policy.

Wang also said that dialogue and consultation are the right path for peacefully resolving international disputes. China is willing to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with France to play a constructive role in seeking political solutions to hotspot problems such as the Ukraine crisis and Middle East issues, he said.

Second, China and France should promote mutually beneficial cooperation and serve as forces for openness, Wang said. He warned that some major countries are currently weaponizing tariffs, treating economic and trade cooperation as security issues, and placing their own interests above those of other countries. Such actions severely disrupt the stable operation of global supply chains and seriously harm the common interests of the international community, Wang said.

He said that history and reality have proven that competitiveness cannot be enhanced by building walls and barriers, and that decoupling and breaking chains will ultimately only isolate oneself.

China has entered a new stage of high-quality development and will continue to expand high-level opening-up, Wang said, adding that China and the EU have resolved the brandy issue through friendly consultations.

China is ready to import more high-quality French products, encourages competitive Chinese enterprises to invest in France, and hopes and believes that the French side will provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises, he said.

Both sides should continue to deepen cooperation in traditional fields such as nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, but also actively explore the potential for cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, green energy and biotechnology, he added.

Third, China and France should promote people-to-people exchanges and serve as forces for inclusiveness, Wang said, noting that people-to-people connections that foster heart-to-heart communication are the best way for countries to enhance understanding, overcome differences and coexist in harmony.

He said that the two sides have just issued the joint statement of the 7th meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges. They will build on the success of last year's China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, implement President Xi Jinping's initiative of increasing the number of French students studying in China to over 10,000 and doubling the scale of European youth exchanges within the next three years, and advance the China-France Young Leaders Exchange and Learning Program and the China-France Internship Program for 1,000 Participants, Wang said.

The two sides should promptly restart the high-level forum on local government cooperation, continue supporting the China-France Carbon Neutrality Center, successfully host the second China-France Educational Development Forum, and jointly set an example for cultural exchanges between China, Europe and the world, Wang said.

Fourth, China and France should strengthen multilateral coordination and serve as forces for unity, Wang said. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War as well as the founding of the United Nations, he added.

Noting that the United Nations is the foremost platform for safeguarding world peace and advancing global governance, Wang said that the more turbulent and complex the situation becomes, the more imperative it is to uphold the central role of the United Nations and leverage its leading authority.

China will continue to work with France to maintain the international system with the United Nations at its core and support each other's multilateral cooperation initiatives, he said.

Wang said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union.

China believes that it is the right time to strengthen China-EU strategic cooperation under the current circumstances, Wang said, adding that both sides should forge objective, rational and correct perceptions, adhere to mutually beneficial, win-win and open cooperation, and properly resolve specific economic and trade issues through consultation at an early date.

China firmly supports European integration and welcomes France's role in advancing the EU's strategic autonomy, and stands ready to work with France to jointly promote the steady growth of China-EU relations, Wang added. Enditem