PR Newswire
BEIJING
,
May 7, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived Sunday in
Paris
for a state visit to
France
as the first stop of his European trip. He received a grand welcome from the French side. At the same time, President Xi's written speech upon arrival at Paris Orly airport, the signed article published in French media Le Figaro, and the
China
-France-EU trilateral meeting with French President
Emmanuel Macron
and European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen
have continued to spark heated discussions in Western public opinion, highlighting the significance of this visit at the bilateral, European and global levels.
President Xi said in his signed article that during his visit to
France
, he brought with him three messages from
China
:
China
will work with
France
to carry forward the spirit that guided the establishment of their diplomatic ties, build on past achievements and open new vistas for
China
-
France
relations;
China
will open even wider to the world and deepen cooperation with
France
and other countries;
China
will strengthen communication and coordination with
France
to uphold world peace and stability. These three messages not only demonstrate
China's
concept of development, security, and civilization in the new era, but also reflect the strategic, epoch-making and global nature of
China
-
France
relations in the context of a changing world order.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between
China
and
France
. Sixty years ago, the two countries broke through the icy barriers of the Cold War, bridged the gap between camps, and established ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations, "ripping a slit in an iron plate," pushing the world toward dialogue and cooperation. Even today, admiration for the strategic vision and broad-mindedness of that generation of leaders remains a common sentiment from top to bottom in both
China
and
France
, demonstrating that the strategic direction of the relationship established at that time was correct and stood the test of time. President Xi's emphasis of carrying forward the spirit that guided the establishment of diplomatic ties, namely the spirit of independence, mutual understanding, foresight, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, shows that in the face of profound global transformations and uncertainties, it is hoped that the two countries can lead the world back to the right path of cooperation rather than confrontation, to win-win results rather than zero-sum.
Over the past 60 years, the reason why
China
-
France
relations have consistently remained at the forefront of
China's
relations with Western countries, pioneering many "firsts," is not because they have not experienced ups and downs, but because they have always focused on the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries and peoples, jointly safeguarded world peace and stability, and promoted human development and progress.
Charles de Gaulle
once said at a press conference after the establishment of diplomatic relations between
China
and
France
, "
France
simply recognizes the world as it is." He firmly believed in the long history of Chinese civilization and emphasized that global development cannot be without
China
. Today, as
China
deeply integrates into globalization, just as de Gaulle foresaw, it has a strong willingness and continues to contribute to global development.
China's
expansion of high-level openness and deepening cooperation with other countries, including
France
, is not a forced choice, but a conclusion drawn from our own development experience and a natural result of our development needs.
China
offers opportunities rather than risks, and seeks cooperation rather than confrontation. As long as one can correctly grasp the main thread of comprehensively understanding
China's
development, all problems will be technical and temporary.
France
is an influential major power in the Western world, and its influence stems not only from its hard power but also from its longstanding tradition of independence and its unique perspective and vision. The stability and development of
China
-
France
relations will become a very prominent case in
China's
relations with the West, helping other Western countries to understand
China's
foreign policy and the principles
China
upholds when developing relations with countries of different systems and cultural backgrounds. The stability of
China
-
France
relations provides more impetus for
China
-
Europe
relations and also helps European countries to understand
China
in a rational, pragmatic, and objective manner and handle their relations with
China
accordingly.
France
was the first Western power to establish diplomatic relations with
China
, and
China
-
France
relations have always carried the genes of influencing international relations and the world order from the very beginning. Just as President Xi said, "both
China
and
France
value independence as two major countries, and our interactions in the long course of history have released tremendous energy swaying the trajectory of the world." Under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, we look forward to
China
and
France
embarking on a new journey for the next 60 years of bilateral relations, constantly making new achievements for global peace and stability as well as human development.
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SOURCE Global Times