President Xi Jinping Speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron on Phone

President Xi Jinping spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on the phone on the afternoon of May 10. 

President Xi noted his close contact with President Macron over the past five years, which helped guide the two countries in sustaining the positive momentum of bilateral ties, conducting fruitful cooperation, and fulfilling the responsibilities of major countries on climate change, biodiversity and other issues. In a world undergoing changes unseen in a century, China and France, two permanent members on the UN Security Council and independent major countries, should uphold "independence, mutual understanding, strategic vision and win-win cooperation", a commitment they made when establishing diplomatic relations, stick to their close and enduring comprehensive strategic partnership, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and strengthen coordination and cooperation in the bilateral, China-Europe and global contexts. China will keep up close exchanges with France at all levels to promote the healthy growth of China-France relations and to maintain world peace and stability.

President Xi stressed the need to identify, through bilateral dialogue mechanisms, cooperation priorities in the coming five years. He called on the two sides to step up cooperation in emerging areas including artificial intelligence and clean energy, while advancing cooperation in traditional areas like civilian nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace. China is ready to import more quality products from France and welcome French financial and hi-tech companies to China for business cooperation. France, in return, needs to give Chinese investors in France a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory business environment. It is important that China and France make good use of big occasions like the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations and the Paris Olympics, both to take place in 2024, as important opportunities to further increase people-to-people and cultural exchanges and enhance mutual understanding. The two sides should follow true multilateralism, uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, support multipolarity and economic globalization, and deepen cooperation on climate change and biodiversity. The two sides need to increase communication and coordination at the G20 and on global food and energy security, expand trilateral cooperation in Africa and other regions, and explore cooperation on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI).

President Xi pointed out that the steady and sound growth of China-EU relations serves the interests of people in China, in Europe and in all other countries. China appreciates France's commitment to strategic autonomy, and hopes that France will encourage the EU to keep a right perception of China and to work with China in the same direction by managing differences properly and building on converging interests for closer cooperation in economy and trade, green and digital development, and people-to-people exchanges. President Xi expressed his hope for France, who holds the EU's rotating presidency, to play a positive role in promoting the sound development of China-EU relations.

President Macron commended the open spirit with which the two sides have developed their relations since establishing diplomatic ties. Over the past five years, the two sides have carried out fruitful cooperation across the board. For the next five years to come, France will work with China to deepen cooperation in areas including agriculture, aviation, civilian nuclear energy and culture and to scale up cooperation on climate change and biodiversity, with a view to greater achievements in France-China relations. France is willing to play a positive role in the development of EU-China relations.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and agreed that the relevant parties should support Russia and Ukraine in restoring peace through negotiations.

President Xi stressed that China has been working in its own way to promote peace talks, and that China supports European countries in keeping the security of Europe in their own hands. He urged vigilance against bloc confrontation, which poses a bigger and more persistent threat to global security and stability.

President Macron noted the many common understandings between France and China on the issue of Ukraine. France stands ready for closer coordination and cooperation with China at both bilateral and multilateral levels. France and the EU are committed to strategic autonomy and will not endorse or take part in bloc confrontation.