President Xi Jinping has called on China and France to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, saying that the two independent major countries should be reliable forces for upholding the international order, open forces for promoting global growth, and progressive forces for guiding multilateral cooperation.

In a phone conversation on Thursday with French President Emmanuel Macron, Xi said that the more complex the international situation is, the more necessary it is for China and France to make the right strategic choice.

The phone call was the two leaders' third interaction within a year, following their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November and Xi's state visit to France in May last year.

In Paris, the two sides agreed to stay committed to the spirit that guided the establishment of their diplomatic ties, namely, independence, mutual understanding, long-term vision and mutual benefit, and enrich it with new features of the new era.

Xi told Macron that since then, China-France cooperation has made many new advancements.

He called for the two sides to enhance strategic communication and build consensus, deepen cooperation in traditional areas such as investment, aerospace and nuclear energy, and expand collaboration in emerging fields like digital technology, green development, biomedicine and the silver economy.

China and France should further promote people-to-people exchanges to foster friendship between their peoples, Xi said.

France is China's third-largest trading partner within the European Union, and China is France's top trading partner in Asia and seventh-largest in the world. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $79.58 billion.

As this year marks the 80th anniversaries of the victory in World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations, Xi said that China and France, both permanent members of the UN Security Council and independent major countries, are founders and builders of the post-war international order, and he called for them to strengthen solidarity and cooperation.

The two countries should jointly uphold the authority and standing of the UN, safeguard international trade rules and world economic order, and practice true multilateralism, Xi said.

Xi also said that China always views Europe as an independent pole in a multipolar world and supports the EU in enhancing strategic autonomy and playing a more important role in international affairs.

China is ready to work hand in hand with Europe to address global challenges and achieve more outcomes that will not only benefit the two sides, but also the world at large, he said.

Macron said that despite changes in the international situation, his country highly values its relationship with China and will unwaveringly adhere to the one-China principle.

France is willing to strengthen practical cooperation with China in trade, investment and various other fields, maintain the positive momentum of bilateral ties, and push for greater development of France-China relations, he said.

Macron also said that in the face of a rapidly changing international situation, France is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China on major issues, fulfill the responsibilities of a permanent member of the UN Security Council, prevent the escalation and spillover of hot spot issues, and jointly maintain world and regional peace and stability.

Europe and China should further enhance communication and dialogue to safeguard their common interests, the French president added.

Over the past weeks, China and Europe have witnessed a period of high-frequency interactions.

On May 6, Xi exchanged congratulations with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the EU.

Xi told the EU leaders that China is ready to work with them to expand mutual openness, properly handle friction and differences, and work toward an even brighter future for China-EU relations.

Observers said that the series of actions recently taken by the United States administration have had impacts on Europe's security, economy and other areas, thus prompting Europe to adjust its policy toward China in order to build a more stable relationship that benefits both sides.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn

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