China ready to expand two-way market access with France, premier says

PARIS -- China is ready to work with France to advance balanced development of bilateral trade, expand two-way market access and seek greater mutual benefit, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Thursday in a meeting with French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

Both China and France adhere to independence, and are committed to maintaining a balanced and stable international order and advancing world peace and development, Li said.

"Earlier, President Xi Jinping had in-depth exchanges with President (Emmanuel) Macron, providing strategic guidance for the development of China-France relations. My visit to France this time is aimed at working with the French side to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries and push forward the high-level development of China-France relations," the Chinese premier said.

Li pointed out that China is willing to work with France to uphold mutual benefits, continuously improve the business environment, expand cooperation in emerging areas, and take pragmatic cooperation between the two countries to a new level.

Both sides should continuously tap into the potential for cooperation in areas such as green development, technological innovation and digital trade, help both countries achieve their "dual carbon" goals, and enhance the quality and efficiency of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, Li said.

China and France will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, and the Paris Olympic Year next year, Li said, adding the two sides should take this opportunity to create a new peak in people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and France.

In recent years, China and France have played an essential and leading role in addressing global challenges through close communication and coordination, Li said, noting that China stands ready to step up cooperation with France on such issues as climate, food and debts, to support each other in international affairs and to jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, so as to contribute to the world's peace and security, stability and prosperity in the long run.

Li stressed that China always regards the European Union (EU) as an important pole in a multi-polar world, adding that strengthening cooperation between China and Europe is a strategic choice based on their respective interests, which is not targeted at, dependent on, or subjected to third parties.

China is willing to strengthen macro policy coordination with the EU to create conditions for their long-term and stable cooperation, Li said, voicing hope that the French side will continue to exert its positive influence and encourage Europe to form more objective and rational understandings and policies toward China, so as to intensify "win-win cooperation" as the main theme between China and the EU.

Borne said that France and China have frequent exchanges and close cooperation. The French side is committed to working with the Chinese side to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and continuously deepen France-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

Noting that the two sides should work well together for the success of the France-China Strategic Dialogue, High-Level Economic and Financial Dialogue, and High-level Dialogue on People-to-people Exchanges, Borne said that the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China, the Year of Culture and Tourism, and the Paris Olympic Games next year should serve as opportunities to strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

The French side is willing to participate in China's high-quality development, appreciates China's continuous delivery of positive signals to expand opening up, and will not take discriminatory measures against Chinese companies, Borne said.

The French side is also willing to deepen cooperation in various areas, such as bilateral trade, investment, aviation, agrifood, green development, and medical and health care and jointly cope with global challenges like climate change, Borne said, adding that France welcomes investments from Chinese companies, and the EU will maintain its strategic autonomy and does not support decoupling or severing supply and industrial chains.

At the end of their talks, the prime ministers jointly witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents in fields including aviation, space research and nuclear energy.

Before the talks, Borne held a grand welcome ceremony for Chinese Premier Li Qiang at Les Invalides. The national flags of China and France were hoisted at the Esplanade des Invalides, and the French military band played the national anthems of China and France. Accompanied by Borne, Li Qiang inspected the French Republican Guard.