President Xi: China ready to enhance all-round exchanges with France

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China is ready to enhance all-round exchanges and cooperation with France, bringing the China-France relationship to a new stage and making it even more productive.

Xi made the remarks during the closing ceremony of the sixth meeting of the China-France Business Council in Paris.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations. Noting that 60 years complete a cycle on the traditional Chinese calendar, bridging the past and the future, Xi spoke of deepening future ties.

"Looking to the future, we will work with France to enrich the economic and trade dimensions of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership," said Xi.

He said China will continue to make full use of the "French farm to Chinese dining table" whole-chain rapid coordination mechanism and bring more cheese, ham, wine and other quality agricultural products from France to the dining tables of Chinese families.

China has also decided to extend the visa-free policy for short-term visits to China for the citizens of 12 countries, including France, until the end of 2025, Xi said.

He urged China and France to work together to deepen China-Europe mutually beneficial cooperation, always define China-Europe relations as a comprehensive strategic partnership and jointly oppose attempts to turn business relations into political, ideological or security issues.

"China will, on its own initiative, further open up the service sector, including telecommunications and medical services, and open its market wider to create more opportunities for companies of France, Europe and beyond," said Xi.

Noting that both China and France are independent major countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, Xi urged the two sides to provide more leadership and support for global governance to build an equal and orderly multi-polar world, practice true multilateralism and further promote all-round WTO reform.

Xi said China is taking major steps to further deepen reform across the board, expand institutional opening up, further expand market access and shorten the negative list for foreign investment, which will present more opportunities for win-win cooperation for France and other countries.

"We welcome French entrepreneurs present today to play an active part in the Chinese modernization process and benefit from China's development opportunities," he said.