Xi talks with Macron over phone

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Xi stressed that China and France, on condition of effective epidemic prevention and control, should advance relevant cooperation, consolidate cooperation in such traditional areas as civil nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, and expand cooperation in such new fields as artificial intelligence, biopharmacy and ocean affairs.

China, he said, is ready to work with France to continue cooperation on biodiversity conservation, deepen green cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative, and carry out tripartite cooperation in Africa and other regions.

China and France also need to support each other in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and the Paris Olympics, he added.

Xi pointed out that China attaches great importance to developing relations with France.

He added that since last year, he and Macron have maintained contact in various ways, and the important consensuses they reached on bilateral relations are being effectively implemented with important progress already made.

Noting that the international situation is changing rapidly, he said he and Macron maintaining timely communication and coordination on major issues will help maintain the direction of the China-France relationship and inject more stability into the world.

Meanwhile, Xi stressed that the multiple major international events of late have once again demonstrated that France is correct in advocating the strategic autonomy of the European Union (EU).

China and the EU, he said, need to continue high-level communication and dialogue, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and reduce misunderstandings and misjudgments.

The two sides also should properly manage differences, and strengthen political guidance for China-EU ties, so as to ensure steady and sustained development of bilateral relations, he added.

He suggested that the two sides focus on the needs of their enterprises and people, further tap their cooperation potential in such areas as connectivity, digital technology, environmental protection, scientific and technological innovation and health care, and expand the scope of China-EU cooperation.

China, he added, hopes that France will play a positive role in promoting the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.

For his part, Macron congratulated China on successfully hosting the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming.

France, he said, is firmly committed to promoting the development of EU-China relations in a constructive manner, and dedicated to properly managing and resolving differences as well as deepening EU-China cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, climate change and biodiversity conservation by strengthening dialogue at all levels.

France hopes to strengthen coordination with China on the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit in Italy and the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow, he added.

He said his country is ready to work with China to push for more results in bilateral practical cooperation in relevant areas and hopes that the EU-China investment agreement will come into force at an early date.

France supports China in successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics, Macron said, adding that he looks forward to maintaining close communication with Xi on France-China and EU-China relations as well as important issues of common concern.