China, France talk up medical ties
Print Edition
CHINA and France should orderly resume cooperation in various fields against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, and strengthen medical cooperation to defeat the pandemic and make contributions to building a community of common health for mankind, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.
Wang said that China and France should cooperate more on drugs and vaccine research and development as well as prevention mechanism for future pandemics when he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday.
France is the fourth stop on Wang’s five-country Europe tour, which has already taken him to Italy, the Netherlands and Norway. Wang is expected to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel next.
China and France should firmly support the World Health Organization’s global efforts against the coronavirus outbreak and oppose the politicization of the pandemic, Wang said.
Noting that Europe is an important force in a multipolar world, Wang said that China and Europe have always been partners instead of rivals with their consensus far outweighing differences.
China appreciates Macron’s call for Europe to strengthen strategic independence, which not only reflects France’s tradition of independence, but also demonstrates Europe’s position as a pole of the world, he said.
With unilateralism and protectionism on the rise today, China and Europe should work together to uphold multilateralism and the basic norms governing international relations, and to build an open world economic system, Wang said.
China would like to see that France and Europe inject more elements of stability into the global landscape and the three sides should join hands for the next stage of the multilateralism agenda, deepen China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and stand on the right side of history, said Wang.
Macron thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for his important message and gift of books, and asked Wang to convey his sincere greetings to Xi.
Macron welcomed Wang’s visit to France and Europe, saying it is of great significance for France and China to maintain strategic communication. France highly appreciates China’s commitment to making its COVID-19 vaccine, once available, a global public good, and is ready to deepen cooperation with China in the fight against the virus and to push for more results in bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, agriculture and other areas.
Macron said that France is ready to work with China to further advance the comprehensive strategic partnership, jointly support multilateralism, strengthen communication and coordination on public health, climate change, biodiversity and issues concerning Africa, and jointly implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative within the G20 framework.
The two sides should map out the important exchanges and political agenda for the next stage, Macron said, adding that he looks forward to visiting China again at an early date.
Wang also met with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic counselor to President Macron, and held talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
During the meeting with Bonne, Wang said against the backdrop of regular epidemic prevention and control, the two sides should make full use of the “fast-track lane” to resume personnel exchanges in an orderly manner and promote cooperation in drug and vaccine research and development, so as to make positive contribution to an early victory against the pandemic.
To raise the strategic cooperation to a new level, China is willing to work with France to further advance major projects such as spent fuel reprocessing plant, he said.
Bonne noted that the cooperation between France and China has been substantial and dynamic. France hopes to join hands with China to promote cooperation in areas such as vaccine research and development, debt relief in Africa, digital economy, spent fuel reprocessing plant as well as political settlement of hot issues.
France also hopes to work with China to ensure the success of the World Conservation Congress in Marseille and the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming next year, he added.
During talks with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian on Saturday, Wang said China and France should upgrade bilateral cooperation to set an example of positive interactions, mutual benefit, win-win outcomes and friendly relations among major countries.
Tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and its severe impact on the world calls for solidarity, Wang said. He recalled that since the virus outbreak, Xi and Macron, have had four phone conversations while foreign ministers of the two countries have talked to each other seven times.
“This proves that solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons to defeat the pandemic,” he said.
Wang also noted that his visit to France during his first overseas tour under the situation of regular COVID-19 prevention and control fully reflects the importance China attaches to France as an independent major country and to the European Union as an important pole in the world.
China is willing to work with France to seek stronger bilateral ties, further promote China-EU cooperation and safeguard multilateralism more effectively.
“The China-France relations, as one of the most stable and sound relations among major countries in today’s world that undergoes changes rarely seen in a century, bear even more prominent global significance,” Wang said.
Le Drian noted that France-China relations are very close and cooperation between the two countries is showing a good momentum for development. He expressed appreciation for China’s assistance to France in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, saying France is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields with China.
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