Photo: VCG

China believes France will continue pursuing a rational and positive policy towards China and play a constructive role in the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations, said China's top diplomat Wang Yi during a telephone conversation with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic counselor to French President Emmanuel Macron, on Monday.

French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China in April was successful, and the two heads of state reached a series of strategic consensus, said Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Both sides should intensify implementation and jointly advance the next important agenda, demonstrating the high level of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France, Wang said.

President Macron's recent significant statements on international multilateral platforms reflect France's tradition of independent and autonomous diplomacy, said Wang, adding that European countries have also been more actively engaging in dialogue and contact with China, which China appreciates.

Wang said China hopes the French side will continue pursuing a rational and positive policy towards China, and play a constructive role in the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.

Macron started his first visit to China since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic on April 5, with a commercial delegation composed of about 60 executives from the energy, transportation and aviation sectors. Macron's visit was expected to produce concrete results in furthering economic and trade cooperation between China and France, as well as to increase political mutual trust.

Macron brought more than 50 entrepreneurs to sign a large number of contracts with Chinese partners, which is no different from putting bilateral economic and trade cooperation at the forefront of defining China-France relations once again.

As two major forces in the multi-polar process, China and the EU have far more common interests than differences, Wang said in the phone call with Bonne on Monday, emphasizing that the two sides should focus more on cooperation rather than rivalry, and work together to provide more stability for the world.

Bonne expressed that President Macron is pleased with the fruitful outcomes of his visit to China, and the French side is willing to strengthen cooperation with China and contribute to the development of France-China and Europe-China relations, as well as international peace and stability.

France believes that Europe should maintain unity, adhere to independence and autonomy, and establish a partnership with China based on mutual respect and shared prosperity, Bonne continued.

The two sides exchanged views on global challenges, for which the French side looks forward to enhanced cooperation between North and South countries worldwide, aiming for a more balanced and sustainable development.

Wang said China has always been an important member of the Global South and advocates that developed countries should support the development of South countries through concrete actions. As the largest developing country, China remains committed to providing assistance to other developing countries through South-South cooperation and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of South countries.

The two sides also coordinated their respective positions on the Ukraine issue and agreed on the need to continuously accumulate and create conditions for initiating a political settlement process.

Global Times