Chinese ambassador sets three priorities for further progress in ties with France

Abstract : China and France should work on three priorities for further development in bilateral relations in the new year, Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye said on Monday.

PARIS, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) — China and France should work on three
priorities for further development in bilateral relations in the new
year, Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye said on Monday.

In an end-of-year message published on the embassy website, Lu said
the two countries have deepened their comprehensive strategic
partnership and played an exemplary role in China-West ties in the
extraordinary year of 2020.

China and France have maintained close cooperation and moved forward
hand in hand in the past year, which is reflected in four key areas, the
ambassador said.

First, a higher level of mutual political trust. During the past
year, the two heads of state have had many telephone conversations,
during which they had in-depth exchanges and reached important consensus
on the international situation, major hotspot issues and bilateral
relations, he said.

“This has further strengthened mutual understanding and friendship,
paved the way for the deepening of exchanges and cooperation between our
two countries in various fields, and given it new impetus,” said the
ambassador.

Second, a new chapter in Sino-French friendship. The governments and
people of the two countries have shown solidarity and mutual assistance
in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have written together a magnificent new chapter in the
Sino-French friendship, proving that it is by remaining united that we
will win,” he said.

Third, further advances in practical cooperation. The two countries
have overcome the impacts of the pandemic and redoubled efforts to
streamline the material transport channels, facilitate human mobility
necessary for the resumption of economic activities and maintain the
stability of industrial and supply chains, said the ambassador.

“The China-France High-level Economic and Financial Dialogue has
achieved 42 practical cooperation results,” he said, adding the two
sides have witnessed steady progress in such cooperation fields as
civilian nuclear energy, aviation, aerospace, agri-food, and that French
companies actively participated in the 3rd China International Import
Expo and achieved fruitful outcomes.

Fourth, new results in multilateral cooperation. China and France
have maintained close communication and coordination on international
cooperation against COVID-19, global governance reform, climate change
and biodiversity conservation within such multilateral frameworks as the
United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Group of
20.

“Together, we sent out a strong signal to preserve multilateralism,
reject unilateralism, support the WHO and strengthen international
cooperation against COVID-19, which has been welcomed by the entire
international community,” he said.

The year of 2021 marks the beginning of a new stage in China’s
development, which will offer new development opportunities to
Sino-French ties, said the ambassador, pledging to work on three
priorities.

First, maintain the intensity of bilateral exchanges. “We will
ensure, through flexible and diverse means, that the two heads of state
and the different levels of our two countries maintain close and
continuous communication and dialogue. We will also work to facilitate
the mobility of people between our two countries,” he said.

Second, explore opportunities for cooperation. The ambassador
stressed that “we will strengthen the synergy between China’s 14th
Five-Year Plan and France’ economic recovery plan and development
strategy, and actively promote the implementation of major strategic and
emblematic projects and the creation of new growth points for
cooperation.”

“With the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism in 2021, the
Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022 and the Summer Olympics in Paris in
2024, we will seize the opportunities to gradually relaunch exchanges
and cooperation between our two countries in culture, tourism, sport,
between local communities and in other fields,” said Lu.

Third, demonstrate a sense of responsibility as major countries. The
Chinese diplomat called for an enhancement of the guiding role of
Sino-French relations to promote the evolution of a multipolar world and
ensure that China-EU relations will overcome disruptions and maintain
healthy and stable development momentum.

“A series of important meetings on global environmental governance
will take place next year. We will work to deepen Sino-French
cooperation in the field of climate change and biodiversity conservation
and promote the reform of the global governance system to inject
positive energies into this world full of uncertainties,” he said.
Enditem

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Source: Chinese ambassador sets three priorities for further progress in ties with France