Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

It was announced by Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday that at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron will pay a state visit to China from Wednesday to Friday. French media have widely noted that President Macron will visit China without any accompanying European Union (EU) officials. A source from the Elysee Palace told the media that this visit will be organized as a "strictly bilateral one." At a crucial juncture where global challenges and opportunities coexist, holding the visit in a bilateral format reflects France's commitment to independent diplomacy and advances the China-France relationship, injecting certainty into an international landscape marked by uncertainty.

On Thursday, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi had a phone call with Diplomatic Adviser to the French President Emmanuel Bonne at the latter's request. What Bonne said during the call sends a clear signal: In today's complex international environment, cooperation among major powers is not a zero-sum game, but a pursuit of win-win outcomes through constructive dialogue. China and France have shared a commitment to sovereign independence since the establishment of their diplomatic relations. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and comprehensive strategic partners, they should contribute more stability, openness, inclusiveness and cohesion to the world.

The direction of major-power relations directly impacts global stability and prosperity. France's consistent engagement in regular, high-level dialogue with China and its deep strategic communication on advancing relations between France, the EU, and China, as well as on jointly tackling global crises, represents a continuation of independent diplomacy. From a broader perspective, strengthening strategic coordination between China and France provides a valuable anchor for steering China-EU relations toward a more rational and pragmatic direction. It is on this basis that the two sides have established stable momentum and room for progress in both traditional and emerging areas of cooperation.

In traditional areas, the active and pragmatic nature of bilateral strategic cooperation is highly significant to the development of both nations. China and France have pledged to expand trade and investment while ensuring a fair business environment, and they have sustained strong cooperation in sectors such as aerospace. Nuclear energy cooperation, an important part of bilateral relations, continues to enhance energy security and support the low-carbon transition through collaboration across the entire industrial chain.

In emerging fields, the expansion and upgrading of China-France cooperation can empower China-EU relations. In areas such as AI governance and green development, China and France can deepen policy dialogue and practical cooperation, while expanding collaboration in complementary fields like biomedicine and the silver economy. This not only opens new space for bilateral cooperation but also provides a strong fulcrum for China-EU collaboration.

China-France cooperation demonstrates an even greater commitment to global responsibility. When China-EU relations face headwinds, China and France address bilateral economic and trade issues through friendly consultation. This coordination, based on mutual trust, brings an open and inclusive dynamic to the region. Having stood on the side of justice and victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, France firmly adheres to the one-China principle and works with China to safeguard the authority of the UN and the multilateral trading system. This steadfast commitment to justice strengthens unity.

In the current climate of rising unilateralism, coupled with the intensification of regional conflicts and geopolitical rivalries, the multilateral value of China and France as "four major forces" - stability, openness, inclusiveness and unity - is increasingly prominent. Planning bilateral relations through a multilateral lens and leveraging bilateral cooperation to strengthen global governance benefits both nations and demonstrates that the "zero-sum mentality" is not the prevailing approach among major powers. Candid communication and equal consultation provide the foundation for achieving win-win results.

In the future, the China-France relationship will continue to advance under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state. It is believed that as President Macron's visit officially unfolds, China and France will, through concrete action, continue to show that dialogue, cooperation and multilateralism remain the most effective ways to solve global challenges.

The author is a senior research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn