China, France to further strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership: FMs

PARIS, Oct. 31 -- Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday met with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, with both sides vowing to advance bilateral ties.

The two sides exchanged views on Sino-French relations, international and regional issues of common concern, and reached important consensuses.

They agreed to push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new high level.

To this effort, China and France will hold a series of activities next year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties and 10 years anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two sides would maintain high level visits and deepen strategic mutual trust.

As China's economic reform and development will enter a new stage, China and France are facing new opportunities in pragmatic cooperation. The two sides should enhance cooperation in traditional areas, such as nuclear energy and aviation, as well as new areas of cooperation, including sustainable development, medical treatment and public health, agricultural and food products processing, digitization and new energy.

In a bid to push forward financial cooperation, China hopes Paris could play an even bigger role in the cross-border transactions of the Renminbi, China's currency.

The two sides also vow to increase people-to-people exchanges, especially the communication between the youth.

Both agreed to intensify coordination and cooperation on international and regional issues, making joint efforts for a political settlement to the Syrian issue, supporting an early progress of Iranian nuclear talks, strengthening consultations and cooperation on African affairs.

China supports France in holding the 2015 conference of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.