Chinese FM meets former French PM in Beijing

BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Jean-Pierre Raffarin, special representative of French President Emmanuel Macron and former French prime minister, in Beijing.

Facing an international landscape marked by change and disorder, China and France, both independent major countries, have the ability and responsibility to jointly promote international solidarity and cooperation, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

More than 10,000 representatives from 151 countries and 41 international organizations gathered in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. This once again demonstrates the great appeal and global influence of Belt and Road cooperation and shows that seeking development, cooperation and win-win results is an irresistible trend of the times, Wang said.

China is willing to strengthen strategic communication with France, jointly safeguard multilateralism, and oppose bloc confrontation, so as to provide more stability and certainty for the world and contribute to peace, development and prosperity, he said.

As Belt and Road cooperation enters a new stage of high-quality development, China welcomes the French side to continue its active participation and is willing to work with France to explore more third-party market cooperation, Wang said.

Taking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the Paris Olympics next year as opportunities, the two sides should carry forward traditional friendship, expand all-round cooperation, and consolidate public support and the social foundation of bilateral relations, Wang said.

Raffarin, who is in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, emphasized that jointly building the Belt and Road is particularly important for promoting development and cooperation at a time of intensifying geopolitical situations.

France attaches great importance to this important initiative and is willing to work with China to continue to implement joint projects such as those with trilateral cooperation, Raffarin said.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and expressed concern over the escalation of tensions. The two sides are willing to maintain communication on promoting a ceasefire and restoring peace.