China says it regards France as important partners

BEIJING, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said Tuesday that China stands ready to work with France to inject new impetus into bilateral ties.

Yang made the remarks in a new round of the China-France Strategic Dialogue with Philippe Etienne, diplomatic advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron.

Yang said China-France relations had maintained healthy and stable development in recent years, noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping held two telephone conversations and a meeting in Hamburg, Germany with President Macron, which charted the course for the development of bilateral ties in the new era.

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) provided new historic opportunities for expanding cooperation and exchanges in various fields between the two countries, Yang said.

China stands ready to work with France to plan for high-level exchanges between the two countries in the next phase, he said.

Noting that China regards France as an important partner on the path of development in the new era, he said China is willing to consolidate political mutual trust with France, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, deepen cooperation in areas such as nuclear energy, aerospace, industrial manufacturing, trade and investment, as well as enhance coordination and cooperation in international affairs.

China hopes France continues to play a constructive role in promoting relations between China and the European Union, he added.

For his part, Etienne said the 19th National Congress of the CPC had charted the course for China's future development, which would also have a profound impact on Europe and the world.

France attaches great importance to China's rising status and influence in the world, he said, adding that France will always regard relations with China as a diplomatic priority.

France stands ready to work with China to maintain close high-level exchanges, deepen practical cooperation, enhance people-to-people exchanges, strengthen coordination on international and regional issues and safeguard multilateralism so as to push bilateral ties to a new high, Etienne said. Enditem