HONIARA Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with newly appointed French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Thursday, with both sides vowing to improve bilateral ties and deepen China-EU cooperation.
Wang said that the two countries' heads of state agreed recently to stick to the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France and respect each other's core interests and to make new efforts to advance China-France relations, deepen China-EU cooperation and improve global governance.
Colonna said France attaches great importance to the implementation of the important consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state and an action plan for bilateral ties.
Colonna said that France is committed to enhancing bilateral friendship, as well as continuing to maintain high-level exchanges and take the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to deepen practical cooperation in a wide range of areas, as well as to push the France-China comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high.
Wang said that China and France have practical cooperation that not only brought benefits to both countries but also contributed to world peace and development, and that China has priority to the implementation of the action plan for China-France relations and is ready to add new dimensions to bilateral cooperation.
The two sides agreed to work together to lead the positive momentum for global cooperation on climate change and biodiversity conservation.
Wang said that China and the EU should avoid megaphone diplomacy and carry out honest and in-depth communication on the basis of mutual respect and for the purpose of mutual understanding and that it supports the European integration and backs France in playing the role of rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union to enhance Europe's strategic autonomy.
Colonna said France cherishes its tradition of independent diplomacy and is committed to deepening EU-China cooperation and tackling global challenges.