BEIJING, Sept. 18 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday extended congratulations on the launch of China-France high-level dialogue on people-to-people exchanges and the opening of its first session, held in Paris.

In a congratulatory message, Xi said China-France relations have long been special among the world's major-power relations.

The friendly exchanges between the two countries have a long history. Since China and France established diplomatic ties, the two sides have made continuous progress in people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, bringing the two peoples closer, promoting innovative and pragmatic cooperation in multiple areas and generating tangible benefits to both Chinese and French people.

Xi said that he hopes the dialogue will inherit the past and forge ahead in the future, instilling fresh impetus to a stable, sustainable and predictable relationship between China and France and a sound and deepening relationship between China and the European Union.

Xi also hoped that the Chinese and French people could jointly uphold the trend in which civilizations are compatible and draw strength from each other with continuous exchanges, thus making positive contributions to the development of human civilization.

Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also sent a congratulatory message to the event.

In his message, Li said that he hopes under the newly-launched dialogue, China and France could forge ahead by respecting and trusting each other and by seeking common ground and resolving differences.

Li hoped that both sides could deepen pragmatic cooperation in such areas as science, education, culture, health and local-level exchanges and endeavor to usher in a new chapter of China-France comprehensive strategic partnership that is even closer and sustainable.