On the evening of March 24, 2019 local time, President Xi Jinping met with President Emmanuel Macron of France in Nice. Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan and Emmanuel Macron's wife Brigitte Macron attended the meeting.

Recalling the history of friendly exchanges between China and France with pleasure, Xi Jinping noted that France is the first major Western country to establish official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the first country to form a strategic partnership and conduct strategic dialogue with China as well as the first to carry out civilian nuclear-energy cooperation with China. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. My visit to France in such a special year is of special significance.

Xi Jinping stressed that several things remain unchanged in the face of profound changes in the international situation and bilateral relations. Firstly, the importance China attaches to its relations with France has not changed. China has always regarded France as a priority partner of cooperation and the two peoples enjoy a special friendship. This is a valuable asset that we must inherit and carry forward to constantly keep China-France relations at the forefront of the times.

Secondly, the common pursuit of China and France for peace, development, fairness and justice has not changed. As nations with foresight and spirit of independence, both China and France uphold the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations (UN) while practicing multilateralism and opposing protectionism and unilateralism in international affairs. Both countries are committed to building an open world economy and working together to tackle the common challenges facing humanity. Xi Jinping said that the community with a shared future for mankind boasts lots of common grounds and similarities with one planet initiative proposed by Mr. President. China and France have cooperated successfully for many times in climate change and other areas, playing a positive leading role in the world.

Thirdly, the mutually beneficial and win-win nature of China-France cooperation has not changed. The history of China-France cooperation shows that bilateral relations are not a zero-sum game. The strong complementarity between the two economies will remain for a long time. China's sustained development and further opening-up will create a host of new opportunities and broader space for bilateral cooperation.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the sound and stable relations between China and France are of great significance to respective long-term development and will also exert important influence on the world. The two sides should constantly explore new fields of cooperation, nurture new growth areas for cooperation, and speed up the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and third-party cooperation projects that have been agreed upon at an early date to achieve substantial results. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with the French side on major issues including the UN affairs, the reform of the World Trade Organization and climate change. The Chinese side always supports the European integration and hopes the French side can play a more active role in leading and promoting China-Europe relations.

Emmanuel Macron said that my visit to China last year was very successful and pleasant. Over the past year, the two countries have been implementing the important consensus reached by me and President Xi Jinping, greatly boosting the exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, technology and culture. The French side pays attention to and attaches importance to the Belt and Road Initiative, regards the Chinese side as an important strategic cooperation partner, and appreciates the Chinese side's important role in and contribution to climate change and other international affairs. The French side stands ready to further intensify strategic communication and collaboration with the Chinese side, and bring into full play the leading role of the France-China comprehensive strategic partnership, so as to jointly safeguard multilateralism and promote world peace and prosperity.

Xi Jinping returned to Nice by car after his state visit to Monaco and began his state visit to France.