Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the French Republic (full text)

Beijing, 4 April (Xinhua) --

Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the French Republic

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China, Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, paid a state visit to the People's Republic of China on April 2023-4, 5. As the two countries approach the 7th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two heads of state reviewed the solid foundation of China-France relations and the friendship between the two peoples, exchanged in-depth views on bilateral relations, China-EU relations and major international and regional issues, and decided to open up new prospects for Sino-French cooperation and seek new momentum for China-EU relations on the basis of the joint statements of January 60, 2018, March 1, 9 and November 2019, 3.

1. Strengthen political dialogue and promote political mutual trust

1. China and France will continue the mechanism of annual meetings between the two heads of state.

2. China and France stressed the importance of high-level exchanges and strategic dialogues, high-level economic and financial dialogues and high-level people-to-people exchange mechanisms for the development of bilateral cooperation, and agreed to hold a new meeting of the three mechanisms within this year.

3. China and France reaffirm their willingness to promote the continuous development of a close and lasting Sino-French comprehensive strategic partnership on the basis of mutual respect for each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity and major interests.

4. China and France agreed to deepen exchanges on strategic issues, in particular dialogue between the Southern Theater of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the French Army in the Pacific Sea Zone, and strengthen mutual understanding on international and regional security issues.

5. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the EU, China reaffirms its commitment to developing China-EU relations, encourages high-level exchanges, promotes consensus building on strategic issues, increases people-to-people exchanges, jointly addresses global challenges, and actively balances economic cooperation. France, as a member of the European Union, shares these directions and will contribute to them.

6. France reaffirms its adherence to the one-China policy.

Second, jointly promote world security and stability

7. As permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and France are committed to seeking constructive solutions based on international law to the challenges and threats to international security and stability, believe that differences and disputes between countries should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and consultation, and seek to strengthen the multilateral international system with the United Nations at its core in a multipolar world.

8. China and France reaffirm their support for the Joint Statement on the Prevention of Nuclear War and the Avoidance of an Arms Race issued by the leaders of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States (P2022) on 1 January 3. As emphasized in the statement, "a nuclear war cannot be won and cannot be fought." The two countries called for refraining from any action that could exacerbate the risk of tensions.

9. The two countries are willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation, jointly safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the arms control and non-proliferation regime, and advance the international arms control process. China and France reaffirm their commitment to advancing the three pillars of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy in a balanced manner under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and continuously strengthen the universality, authority and effectiveness of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

10. The Parties support all efforts to restore peace in Ukraine on the basis of international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

11. The two sides oppose armed attacks against nuclear power plants and other peaceful nuclear facilities and support the constructive role of the IAEA in promoting the safety and security of peaceful nuclear facilities, including the Zaporizhzhya NPP.

12. They stressed the importance of strict compliance by parties to the conflict with international humanitarian law. In particular, the two countries called for the protection of women and children affected by conflict in accordance with international commitments, increased humanitarian assistance to conflict areas and safe, rapid and barrier-free humanitarian access.

13. The two sides will continue to maintain communication under the Sino-French Strategic Dialogue mechanism.

14.The Comprehensive Agreement on the Iranian Nuclear Issue (JCPOA) reached in 2015 is an important achievement of multilateral diplomacy. The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the authority and effectiveness of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and Security Council resolutions, and reaffirmed their support for the International Atomic Energy Agency in this framework.

15.China and France will continue to maintain close communication on the Korean Peninsula issue.

16.China and France agreed to continue exchanges through the Sino-French Dialogue on Cyber Affairs.

3. Promote economic exchanges

17.China and France commit to provide fair and non-discriminatory conditions of competition for businesses, especially in the areas of cosmetics, agricultural and agrifood products, air traffic management, finance (banking, insurance, asset managers), health (medical supplies, vaccines), and energy, investment and sustainable development. To this end, the two countries are committed to providing a favorable environment for business cooperation, improving market access for enterprises of the two countries in each other's countries, improving the business environment, and ensuring respect for the intellectual property rights of all enterprises in the two countries. In the field of digital economy, including 5G, the French side committed to continue to handle the licensing applications of Chinese enterprises in a fair and non-discriminatory manner on the basis of the laws and regulations of the two countries, including national security.

18. China and France are willing to continue to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields of the service industry, support institutions and enterprises of the two countries to carry out economic and trade exchanges on the basis of mutual benefit, and promote the development of service trade. France is invited to be the Guest of Honour at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services.

19. China and France hope to strengthen partnerships in the fields of agriculture, agricultural food, veterinary medicine and phytosanitary, and are pleased to see that market access for pork products has been guaranteed, the market has been opened to soft dates and kiwifruit and feed dairy products, and 15 pork export institutions have been approved to register in China. The competent authorities of the two countries will respond as soon as possible to future registration requests for export enterprises of agricultural and agricultural products, especially meat and aquatic products, and infant dairy formulas that meet the requirements of the food hygiene and safety laws and regulations of the two sides, as well as the market opening requests submitted by their respective departments. The two sides will continue to exchange and cooperate in the beef cattle and wine industries and the registration of geographical indications, especially for Burgundy wine. France supports China's application to join the International Grape and Wine Organization as soon as possible, and supports China in hosting the International Grape and Wine Industry Conference.

20.China and France welcomed the conclusion of a "bulk purchase agreement" for the purchase of 160 Airbus aircraft by Chinese airlines. Depending on the recovery and development of China's air transport market and fleet, the two countries will study the cargo and long-distance transportation needs of Chinese airlines in a timely manner. The two sides welcome the strengthening of cooperation between the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to accelerate the airworthiness certification process on the basis of internationally recognized safety standards, especially the airworthiness certification process for Y12F, H175, Dassault 8X and other projects. The two sides welcomed the agreement reached by enterprises of the two countries on sustainable aviation fuel. The two sides continued to carry out industrial cooperation, especially the Airbus Tianjin new final assembly line project.

21. China and France support the airlines of the two countries in restoring air connectivity to pre-pandemic levels as soon as possible, in a manner coordinated by the civil aviation authorities of the two countries, with the aim of resuming the implementation of the Air Traffic Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the French Republic signed on 1966 June 6 and related air traffic rights arrangements. Airlines of the two countries should have equal access when operating flights between China and France. The two countries support deepening people-to-people and economic engagement, including visa facilitation for private sector personnel and business people in both countries.

22. The two sides are satisfied with the cooperation between the space agencies of the two countries on the joint research of Chang'e-<> and extraterrestrial samples.

23.In order to realize the common aspiration of low-carbon transformation of the energy system, China and France carry out practical cooperation on civil nuclear energy under the framework of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy. The two countries are committed to continuing to advance cooperation on cutting-edge issues in nuclear energy research and development, building on the agreement between the China Atomic Energy Agency and the French Commission for Atomic and Alternative Energy. The two countries support enterprises of both sides in studying possibilities for strengthening industrial and technical cooperation on issues such as nuclear waste reprocessing.

24.France and China welcome the outcome of the 2015 Intergovernmental Agreement on Third-Party Market Cooperation. The two parties are committed to the follow-up and implementation of the identified third-party market cooperation projects. The two governments encourage enterprises, financial institutions and other entities to explore new major economic cooperation projects in third-party markets on the basis of applicable high international standards.

4. Restart people-to-people exchanges

25.In order to promote the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions globally, China and France support the deepening of cooperation in the creation and exploitation of cultural works and will actively promote the resumption of exchanges and cooperation in the field of culture and tourism. China and France welcomed the declaration of intent reached by the cultural authorities of the two countries on cultural cooperation.

26. The two sides will jointly organize the Sino-French Year of Cultural Tourism in 2024, and support the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles, the West Bund Art Museum in Shanghai and the Centre Pompidou to organize high-level activities in the two countries. The two sides commit to provide customs, logistics and other facilitation measures for the roving exhibition on the premise of abiding by their respective laws, and will strive to ensure the integrity and smooth return of the supported exhibition Chinese items.

27.The two sides reaffirmed their willingness to strengthen cooperation in the cultural and creative industries, especially in the fields of literature, film, television documentaries, publishing (including games), music, architecture and digitalization, through co-production, copyright cooperation, competitions and artist exchanges, so as to enhance the communication potential for the widest possible audience.

28.China and France commit to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of cultural heritage protection, restoration and development. The two countries welcome the conclusion of a roadmap for cultural heritage cooperation on the participation of Chinese experts and the French team in the on-site restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral, cooperation in the conservation and restoration of the Terracotta Army, cooperation projects between Gongyi Hall and Maoling, and the promotion of friendly relations between the two countries' World Heritage Sites. The two sides will continue to work together to prevent and combat theft, illegal excavation and illegal entry and exit of cultural property. The two countries reaffirmed their full support for the International Alliance for the Conservation of Heritage in Conflict Areas Foundation for the protection of cultural heritage in conflict zones.

29.China and France reaffirm the importance they attach to cooperation in language teaching and promote friendship and mutual understanding. The two countries will work to extend the validity of the Agreement on Language Cooperation signed by the two governments in June 2015, encourage the introduction of Chinese and French language instruction in their schools, increase bilingual courses, and strengthen language teacher exchanges and training.

30.China and France reaffirm their importance to strengthening cooperation in higher education and vocational education, and will encourage Chinese and French institutions of higher learning to develop partnerships, such as jointly establishing cooperative school-running institutions, jointly promoting the mutual resumption of exchanges between international students and teachers, and facilitating inter-university exchanges. To this end, the Parties have established facilitation procedures for the application of visas by the above-mentioned persons. The two sides will convene a new meeting of the Sino-French Education Mixed Committee as soon as possible.

31. The two heads of state agreed to convene a new meeting of the Sino-French Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation as soon as possible to determine the major directions of bilateral scientific cooperation and the "Sino-French Carbon Neutrality Center" to promote carbon-neutral scientific and technological cooperation. China and France promote the exchange of scientific researchers through the Sino-French Research Partnership Exchange Program (Hubert Gurion-Cai Yuanpei Cooperation Program). The two sides are willing to continue to implement the "Sino-French Outstanding Young Researchers Exchange Program", strengthen exchanges between young researchers of the two countries, and promote cooperation and joint research activities in priority areas.

32.With a view to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the two Heads of State have made sports, especially the exchange of young athletes, sports infrastructure development and sports industry experience sharing an important part of bilateral relations.

5. Jointly address global challenges

33. According to the United Nations, 2022 million people faced food insecurity in 3. In this context, the two sides commit to maintain market stability, avoid unreasonable export restrictions on agricultural inputs and agricultural products, and smooth the international food supply chain, starting with facilitating the export of cereal products and fertilizers. The two sides are committed to achieving these goals through China's International Food Security Cooperation Initiative and the Food and Agriculture Resilience Initiative.

34.Both China and France agreed that scaling up support to the countries most affected by the food crisis, such as their African partners, is important for building resilient and sustainable food systems. To this end, the two sides are willing to promote international cooperation on food saving and reducing losses and promoting localized food production. In line with this goal, the two sides jointly support relevant organizations addressing food security such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme, as well as financial institutions and bilateral and multilateral donors.

35.China and France stress their support for the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, their commitment to creating a free, open, transparent, inclusive and non-discriminatory trade and investment environment, their support for the necessary reform of the WTO, and the positive outcome of the 13th Ministerial Conference of the WTO.

36.China and France are willing to cooperate to solve the financing difficulties of developing and emerging market economies, encourage them to accelerate their energy and climate transition, and support their sustainable development. China will attend the Global Financing Compact Summit on Climate Change to be held in Paris in June 2023. France will attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

37 The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation under the G<> framework, promote the G<> to play its role as the main forum for international economic cooperation, and advance the reform of the international monetary and financial system in accordance with the Bali Summit leaders' commitments.

38.China and France support the implementation of the Common Framework for Follow-up Debt Treatment under the Debt Relief Initiative in the context of the vulnerability of developing countries. The Common Framework was adopted by the G2020 and the Paris Club in November 11, with the participation of China and France. The two sides reaffirmed the predictable, timely, orderly and coordinated implementation of the Common Framework and supported the debt agenda adopted at the G2023 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in February 2.

39.The two sides appreciate the G30 Bali Summit for welcoming the voluntary transfer of SDRs by all countries, and call on G1000 Member States and countries that are willing to step up their efforts to increase the mobilization rate of their SDRs to <>% in order to achieve the US$<> billion target adopted at the G<> Rome Summit as soon as possible.

40.Climate, biodiversity and land degradation are common priorities for China and France. The two countries committed to maintaining high levels of ambition within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (Kunming-Montreal Framework), in line with the Beijing Initiative launched in November 2019. The two sides welcomed the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Framework at the second phase of the fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP11). China will continue to hold the COP15 presidency in the next two years and is willing to work with France to actively promote the complete and effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Framework. The two countries welcomed the positive contribution to biodiversity financing of the Kunming Biodiversity Fund and the arrangements to be established under the Global Environment Facility. The two countries welcomed the work presented at the One Forest Summit in Libreville.

41.China and France commit to communicate their revised national strategies and action plans in line with the Kunming-Montreal Framework before COP16. China will actively study the possibility of joining the "High Ambition Alliance between Nature and Humanity". The two countries contributed to the goal of reducing biodiversity-damaging subsidies by $5000 billion per year.

42.China and France reaffirm their carbon neutral/climate neutrality commitments. France has pledged to become climate neutral by 2050. China has pledged to strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and strive to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The two countries will adopt policies and measures to implement the nationally determined Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) targets established in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

43.The two sides highly appreciate the outcomes of the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP<>) and commit to maintain close communication and coordination in the preparations for the <>th Conference of the Parties (COP<>) to promote the success of the first global stocktaking of the Paris Agreement, and to make positive progress on mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and means of implementation.

44.China and France support the promotion and development of financing that contributes to the ecological transition, and encourage their respective financial sectors (including banks, insurance institutions, asset managers and owners) to coordinate their operations and objectives in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, circular economy, regulation and reduction of pollution or development of blue finance. The two countries also encourage development agencies and development banks, central banks, regulators and financial authorities to exchange and share experiences in the field of green and sustainable finance, and promote the development and improvement of standards in areas such as the standardization of non-financial information. The two countries committed to supporting the development of sustainable capital markets.

45.China and France recognize that the construction sector accounts for a significant proportion of their greenhouse gas emissions and are actively studying joining the "Building Breakthrough" initiative. The two countries will strengthen cooperation to promote energy conservation and carbon reduction in buildings and promote sustainable urban development.

46.China and France are committed to marine protection. The two countries welcomed the agreement reached by the Intergovernmental Meeting on Marine Biological Diversity Beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) on the text on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction, and will continue to strengthen communication and coordination on follow-up work. The two Heads of State reaffirmed that they will promote the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources in accordance with the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and continue discussions on the establishment of marine protected areas in Antarctica. China and France are committed to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and established national committees in 2022 and 2021 respectively to highlight the importance of knowledge for better ocean protection. The two sides recognized the importance of combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

47.China and France are committed to the success of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. China will study the roadmap proposed by France to link China's presidency of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP2025) and France's presidency of the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice in <>.

48.China and France oppose plastic pollution (including microplastic pollution). They support and participate in the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee mandated by resolution 5/2 of the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA5.14) to adopt a legally binding international instrument.

49.China and France commit to protect and sustainably manage forest ecosystems, support scientific research on more sustainable value chains, and combat illegal deforestation and related trade. The two countries are willing to promote cooperation in nature conservation and grassland protection, restoration and sustainable use. Under this framework, the two countries welcome the active cooperation between the State Forestry and Grassland Administration of China and the French Biodiversity Agency.

50.China and France will work together to promote a more just energy transition in developing countries through tools such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership.

51.China and France stress the importance of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms for the development of all countries, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.