Xi Jinping attended the welcome banquet held by Macron

On the evening of May 6, local time, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan attended the welcome banquet hosted by French President Macron and his wife Brigitte at the Elysée Palace in Paris.

When Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan arrived, they were warmly welcomed by Macron and Brigitte. The two heads of state and their spouses took a cordial photo together.

Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan exchanged greetings and had cordial exchanges with representatives of French celebrities from all walks of life who were invited to the banquet.

Xi Jinping pointed out that he was very happy to visit the beautiful French Republic again and thanked President Macron and his wife and the French side for their warm hospitality. China and France are special friends, and the China-France relationship is a special relationship among the world's major powers.

Special in independence. Sixty years ago, General Charles de Gaulle made the decision to establish comprehensive diplomatic relations with New China, which was extremely difficult in the context of the Cold War. Over the past 60 years, successive leaders of the two countries have always viewed and handled bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. The first Western head of state to visit New China was the President of France, and the first Western country officially visited by a leader of New China was France. Every highlight moment of Sino-French exchanges is supported by the powerful factor of independence, which deserves to be cherished, inherited and carried forward.

The special thing is mutual understanding. As important representatives of Eastern and Western civilizations, China and France have always appreciated and attracted each other. Confucius' thoughts profoundly influenced Voltaire and others, and provided inspiration for the French Enlightenment. The work-study boom in France at the beginning of the last century has cultivated a large number of talents for China's revolution, construction, and reform. This year is the China-France Culture and Tourism Year. I believe the two countries will take this opportunity to seek more wisdom and draw more nutrients from each other's cultures.

Especially in taking responsibility. History has proven many times that China and France can benefit the world by joining hands. The world today is intertwined with events. The Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are protracted. The world economic recovery is sluggish. Global challenges such as climate change are becoming increasingly difficult. As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and France should shoulder greater responsibilities. President Macron and I agreed that we will uphold the original intention of establishing diplomatic relations, deepen high-level mutual trust and cooperation between China and France, strengthen communication and collaboration on major international issues, and jointly inject hope into a confused world and explore the direction for human progress. I believe that with the accumulation of history, the foundation of reality, and the blueprint for the future, China-France relations will be as vibrant and prosperous as spring.