Chinese, French FMs hold phone talks over ties, one-China principle

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday held a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault on bilateral ties and the one-China principle.

In the phone call, Wang said China, which views France as a significant strategic partner, is willing to work with it to make earnest efforts to respect and accommodate each other's core interests and to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, so as to promote the in-depth development of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership.

Appreciating Ayrault's unequivocal position on the one-China principle in his recent remarks, Wang stressed that the Taiwan issue concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Wang said the one-China principle is the prerequisite and basis for other countries to develop their relations with China and that when it comes to this vital issue of right or wrong, no country can be an exception.

Ayrault reiterated that the France-China relations are based on mutual trust and mutual benefit and that the one-China principle is related to international and regional peace and stability, to which France attaches great importance and will continue to play a positive role on the matter.

The two sides also exchanged views on deepening cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. Endi