Beijing, Paris to join hands in tackling global challenges

Visit: Sino-EU cooperation far outweighs competition, FM says

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot greets a student at Beijing Language and Culture University on Thursday. Barrot began a two-day visit to China on Thursday. (Zou Hong/CHINA DAILY)

China and France issued a joint statement on Thursday on climate change to mark the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, reaffirming their steadfast commitment to advancing multilateralism and deepening cooperation to tackle pressing global challenges.

The statement, released after talks between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot in Beijing, highlighted "providing appropriate solutions to major challenges of the era within a multilateral framework".

Analysts said the joint statement pointed to a stronger level of engagement between China and Europe to tackle major global challenges and oppose protectionist moves.

Barrot's two-day visit, which started on Thursday, marks his first trip to China since taking office as French foreign minister and the second meeting between the two ministers in less than two months. On Friday, he is due to travel to Shanghai for meetings with local officials and business leaders.

In a separate meeting with Barrot on Thursday, Premier Li Qiang highlighted the need for both nations to strengthen communication and cooperation, in order to inject greater stability and certainty into bilateral and global development. Barrot said that France opposes trade wars and is willing to work with China to uphold multilateralism and jointly address global challenges such as climate change.

During a joint news conference with Barrot, Wang affirmed China's support for France's hosting of the Paris Agreement's 10th anniversary commemoration, saying that China will send a high-level delegation to the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice in June.

Both sides expressed their dedication to upholding multilateralism against unilateralism, fostering dialogue and cooperation to counter bloc confrontation, and pursuing mutual benefit to prevent decoupling and supply chain disruptions.

As founding members of the United Nations and permanent members of its Security Council, China and France are seen by officials and analysts as bearing a responsibility to exemplify major-country leadership, strengthen strategic coordination and maintain world peace and stability.

Wang emphasized that the two nations should enhance strategic coordination, support each other's key multilateral initiatives and strive for a fairer, more equitable global governance system to prevent a return to the "law of the jungle".

Wang underscored the enduring relevance of the "China-France spirit" — characterized by independence, mutual understanding, foresight, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation — not only for the two countries but also for the world.

He defined independence as rising above ideological and geopolitical divides, resisting external pressures and hegemony, and fostering state-to-state relations based on equality and mutual respect in line with the UN Charter.

Wang further called for abandoning zero-sum thinking, rejecting the notion of systemic rivals, and embracing open cooperation and free trade to foster peace through development.

Barrot said that France views China as a key partner, steadfastly upholds the one-China policy and supports free trade.

During the talks, both sides agreed to hold three high-level dialogues on strategy, the economy and finance, and to promote people-to-people exchanges this year.

They committed to deepening cooperation in traditional sectors such as agriculture and nuclear energy, while exploring new opportunities in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and the digital economy.

Wang welcomed the recent uptick in investment by French companies in China, while expressing hope that France would ensure a fair, transparent and predictable business environment for Chinese companies.

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, Wang said that cooperation between Beijing and Brussels far outweighs competition, with shared interests exceeding differences, creating a strong foundation for further progress.

In response, Barrot said France supports dialogue between the EU and China to negotiate and resolve trade differences.

Cui Hongjian, director of the Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said that challenges facing multilateralism and rising uncertainties in the international landscape since the start of this year have elevated the importance of China-France and China-EU relations.

China and the EU should work together to uphold multilateralism and build up mutual trust and consensus on key regional and international issues, he said.

"The EU should meet China halfway," Cui said. "In trade and economic matters, it should approach competition constructively rather than resorting to unilateral protectionism, which would only deepen mistrust and hinder cooperation in other domains."