China News Service, Beijing, April 8. On April 8, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Merieux and his wife, chairman of the French Mérieux Foundation, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi Jinping expressed his appreciation for the Merieux couple and the Merieux Foundation for their long-term concern and support for the development of Sino-French relations and China's health care undertakings.
Xi Jinping emphasized that the world today is facing major changes unseen in a century and has entered a turbulent period of chaos and chaos. Human society not only has to deal with health challenges such as the COVID-19 epidemic, but also faces geopolitical conflicts such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Ukraine crisis. China has always advocated peace, not war, called for an end to war, promoted peace, and promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Over the past 60 years, generations of people have inherited and developed China-France relations, and the friendship between the two countries has become stronger over time. China cherishes the friendship between China and France and is willing to further strengthen high-level exchanges and intensify exchanges and cooperation with France to push China-France relations to a higher level. For a long time, China and France have carried out a series of cooperation in the field of health and achieved fruitful results. The Mérieux Foundation is welcome to continue to deepen cooperation with China.
Merieux expressed his gratitude to President Xi Jinping for taking the time to meet with him despite his busy schedule, which fully reflects his friendship with the French people and is touching. My association and friendship with China began 46 years ago. Over the years, I have always paid attention to and admired China's development and progress. The Merieux Foundation will continue to actively promote France-China friendship and health cooperation.
Wang Yi attended the meeting. (over)