Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed their commitments on Tuesday to bolster communication and coordination in response to global challenges including climate change, biodiversity protection and food security.
Xi and Macron met at the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, their first face-to-face meeting since the start of COVID-19.
The Chinese president underscored that China, in its efforts to unswervingly pursue high-level opening up and move forward with the Chinese path to modernization, will provide new opportunities to various countries, including France.
President Xi Jinping highlighted the need to keep working toward new progress in traditional sectors and actively tapping into the potential for cooperation in green energy and innovation in science and technology, saying that Beijing hopes Paris can offer a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies
The two sides should bolster top-level design eyeing the future, respect each other's core interests and major concerns and deepen pragmatic cooperation, he said.
He highlighted the need to keep working toward new progress in traditional sectors and actively tapping into the potential for cooperation in green energy and innovation in science and technology, saying that Beijing hopes Paris can offer a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.
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As key forces in a multi-polar world, China, France and Europe should maintain a spirit of independence and open cooperation and enable the steady and sustained growth of bilateral relations in order to inject stability and positive energy into the world, he said.
China and Europe have now formed a robust relationship of economic co-existence, and the two sides should expand two-way trade and investment, ensure stable and unimpeded global industry and supply chains, and uphold the rules and order in global trade and economy, he said.
Xi expressed hope that Paris can push the European Union to continue following an independent and positive China policy.
China stands ready to work with France to ensure the G20 Bali Summit is a success, bolster communication and coordination in responding to climate change and biodiversity protection, uphold true multilateralism, respond to global challenges such as food and energy security, and solve the difficult issues in sustainable development, he said.
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Macron offered his congratulations to Xi on his reelection as general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
France upholds independence in diplomacy, opposes bloc confrontation and hopes to continue adhering to a spirit of mutual respect, equality and win-win, as well as conduct closer high-level exchanges and deepen cooperation in economy, trade, aviation and the nuclear sector, he said.
The two leaders also exchanged views over the Ukraine issue.
Xi reiterated Beijing's position to advocate for a ceasefire, putting an end to conflicts and begin peace talks, saying that the international community should work toward these outcomes and China will continue playing constructive roles in its own way.