Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council who was paying an official visit to France meeting in Paris with French President Jacques Chirac

On December 5, 2005, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council met in Paris with French President Jacques Chirac. Both sides spoke highly of France-China relations and reached consensus on further enhancing bilateral cooperation.

Wen said at present bilateral relations are at its best in history and bilateral cooperation in various sectors has been continuously expanded and deepened. The increasingly close ties between the two countries have boosted the economic and social development of both countries and promoted world peace and prosperity.

Wen said that the sustained, stable and sound development of China-France relations is due to the fact that both sides can look at and address bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and have rendered full understanding and support to each other on their concerns. Being independent and self-reliant yet open and inclusive, both China and France insist to increase mutual trust through dialogue. The development of China-France ties has proved that countries with different social systems are able to coexist in peace and cooperate well. Wen noted both being permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and France should further strengthen top-level exchanges and strategic dialogue, deepen comprehensive strategic partnership, enhance coordination and cooperation in international affairs, jointly defend the UN's authority and deal with the challenge of traditional and non-traditional security challenges.

Wen stressed that China-France cooperation has vast potential yet to be tapped in all sectors. It is the common aspiration of both countries and in the fundamental interest of both peoples to expand mutually beneficial cooperation. It is hoped that the two nations can enhance their cooperation in key projects so as to create a win-win situation. Meanwhile, he expected to see enhanced cooperation between China and France in culture and education. He also encouraged the exchanges of the youths in a bid to enhance mutual understanding and friendship and lay a solid foundation for the lasting development of bilateral relations.

Chirac indicated that France-China relations are very friendly. The two countries share common views on major international issues and have very fruitful cooperation within the framework of the UN. China is playing an active and important role in international affairs, which is appreciated and supported by France. France is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in this respect. Chirac said France adopts an active and firm attitude toward cooperation with China in such fields as economy and trade, science and technology, culture and youth affairs. The two sides should continue to work to build the future of bilateral relations from a strategic height.

Chirac said France will make continued efforts to promote the development of EU-China relations and to settle China's reasonable concerns. He reaffirmed that his government will continue to firmly uphold the One-China policy.

On the same day, Wen also met with President of the French National Assembly Jean-Louis Debre. Wen said that the development of China-France ties is a strategic decision by the generations of leaderships of the two countries. The exchanges of the youths are key to promoting the continuous development of China-France comprehensive strategic partnership. The Joint Communiqué on the Cooperation in the Youths released by China and France the previous day was of great significance. China will invite 400 French youngsters to visit China next year, the purpose of which is to plant the seed of bilateral friendship in their hearts so that it will blossom and yield fruits in the future. He also noted that the exchanges between China's National People's Congress (NPC) and France's National Assembly have played a positive role in enhancing the friendship between the two peoples and promoting the comprehensive development of bilateral relations. China's NPC would like to establish a regular mechanism of exchanges between the parliamentary leaders with France's National Assembly, enhance the exchanges between the specialized committees and friendship groups in the two parliaments so as to jointly explore the new areas and channels of bilateral cooperation.

Debre said that the French people have a deep affection toward their Chinese counterparts and the French youths long for the splendid Chinese culture and wish to increase exchanges with the Chinese youths. There is still a lot of work to be done. Debre was in favor of strengthening exchanges between the legislatures of the two countries and said he would like to visit China at the earliest date possible.