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Wang Yi, a 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, held a phone call with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French President, on Wednesday.

Wang said that at the beginning of the new year, the international situation has undergone major new changes, with turbulence and disorder on the rise. As major countries that pursue independence and autonomy, China and France should strengthen communication and coordination, jointly inject much-needed stability into the world, and better bring into play the strategic value of China-France relations, per the Xinhua News Agency. 

Wang reiterated that China and the EU are partners rather than rivals, a fact long proven by more than 50 years of fruitful cooperation. China and the EU share identical or similar positions on many issues, including the promotion of a multipolar world, and both sides are capable of properly resolving specific trade disputes through dialogue and coordination. 

Under the current circumstances, China and the EU should further enhance dialogue, build mutual trust, and deepen cooperation. The recent visits to China by leaders of several European countries have strongly promoted China-EU relations. China hopes that France will continue to play a positive role within the EU and help advance the sound and stable development of China-EU relations, said Wang. 

Bonne said that France attaches great importance to the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership and is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state.

In a spirit of mutual trust and cooperation, France stands ready to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with China on major international and regional hotspot issues through bilateral and multilateral platforms, jointly address challenges, and make positive contributions to safeguarding global security and stability and promoting common development and prosperity, Bonne said. 

France believes that the EU and China moving in the same direction and further consolidating their relationship fully serves the interests of both sides, and France is willing to make efforts to promote the stable development of EU-China relations, Bonne noted. 

The two sides also exchanged views and coordinated positions on current hotspot issues, including the Ukraine crisis, the situation in Venezuela, and the situation regarding Iran.

Global Times