China, France to make comprehensive strategic partnership more solid, vibrant

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Monday that China will work with France to foster a more solid and vibrant comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and to jointly contribute wisdom and strength to world peace, security, prosperity and progress.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks during a daily press briefing in response to a related query.

Noting that France was the first major Western country to establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level with China and 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Wang said the establishment of diplomatic ties six decades ago broke the ice of the Cold War and bridged the divide between different blocs, and has pushed the global landscape to evolve in the right direction of dialogue and cooperation.

Wang said over the past 60 years, China and France have adhered to independence, achieved common development through mutually beneficial cooperation, promoted mutual learning among civilizations through exchanges on an equal footing, and jointly addressed global challenges through multilateral coordination.

"These endeavors have not only benefited the people of both countries, but also played a vital role in maintaining global peace and stability, promoting a multipolar world, and advancing greater democracy in international relations," Wang added.

Noting that China-France relations are on the track of sound development, Wang said that since particularly last year, exchanges between the two countries, at all levels, have rapidly resumed and cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results, demonstrating the great vitality of bilateral relations in the post-pandemic era.

He added that both countries attach great importance to the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties, and will jointly host a variety of celebratory activities throughout the year and the Year of Culture and Tourism.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a daily press briefing in Beijing, China, January 29, 2024. /CFP)