Paris, May 06, 2024, The Europe Today: Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the imperative for China and France to uphold independence and collaborate in averting a “new Cold War” or bloc confrontation amidst unprecedented global transformation and turbulence. President Xi made these remarks during discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, marking his third state visit to France on the auspicious occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.
President Xi underscored the significance of preserving the foundational principles that guided the establishment of bilateral ties between China and France, including independence, mutual understanding, long-term vision, and mutual benefit. He stressed the need to imbue these principles with new characteristics of the contemporary era, reflecting the evolving dynamics of international relations.
Both leaders reiterated their commitment to fostering mutual understanding and promoting harmonious coexistence in a diverse global landscape. They emphasized the importance of adopting a long-term perspective and collaborating towards the realization of an equal and orderly multipolar world, while vehemently opposing initiatives aimed at decoupling and disrupting supply chains.
President Xi reaffirmed China’s willingness to engage in strategic communication with France, emphasizing the importance of respecting each other’s core interests to consolidate the strategic stability of bilateral relations. He expressed China’s readiness to explore the vast potential for mutually beneficial cooperation, particularly in trade and economic domains.
Highlighting the importance of enhancing bilateral economic ties, President Xi emphasized China’s intention to increase imports of high-quality products from France and encourage French investment in China’s burgeoning manufacturing sector. He called for a conducive business environment in France to facilitate Chinese investment and cooperation, thereby fostering balanced and sustainable bilateral trade relations.
President Xi outlined areas for deepening cooperation between China and France, including aerospace, aviation, nuclear energy, innovation, finance, green energy, smart manufacturing, biomedicine, and artificial intelligence. He reiterated China’s commitment to liberalizing access to its manufacturing sector and accelerating market access in telecommunications, medical, and other services.
President Xi underscored the significance of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and France, emphasizing the continuation of cultural and tourism activities under the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism initiative. He extended China’s visa-free policy for short-term visits to France and expressed China’s intention to host more French students and facilitate increased youth exchanges between the two countries.
President Xi extended China’s support for France’s hosting of the Paris Olympic Games and expressed willingness to deepen cooperation with France in climate change, biodiversity, and other fields. He emphasized the importance of dialogue and collaboration between China and France in areas such as artificial intelligence governance and reform of the international financial system.
The discussions between President Xi Jinping and President Emmanuel Macron underscored the shared commitment of China and France to fostering robust bilateral relations and addressing global challenges through mutual cooperation and dialogue.
