Xi Jinping publishes a signed article in French media
Paris, May 5. On May 5, when he was in Paris for a state visit to France, President Xi Jinping published a signature in the French newspaper "Le Figaro" titled "Inheriting the Spirit of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and France and Jointly Promoting World Peace and Development" article. The full text of the article is as follows:
Inherit the spirit of establishing diplomatic relations between China and France and jointly promote world peace and development
At the invitation of President Macron, I am pleased to pay my third state visit to France.
In the hearts of the Chinese people, France has a unique charm. This land has produced many philosophers, writers, and artists with world influence, providing ideological inspiration to all mankind. More than 150 years ago, French people participated in the construction of China's Fujian Shipping Administration and Fujian Shipping School. France was the first to accept Chinese government-sponsored students studying in France. A hundred years ago, Chinese young people went to France to study, and some of them later contributed to the establishment and development of New China. made outstanding contributions. France was the first major Western country to formally establish diplomatic relations with New China.
2024 is a node of special significance. I came to France at this time and brought three pieces of information from China.
——China is willing to carry forward the spirit of establishing diplomatic relations with France and promote China-France relations to carry forward the past and open up the future.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Sixty years ago, General de Gaulle decided to establish diplomatic relations with New China based on the strategic vision of the times. Against the background of the raging Cold War, it was extremely difficult to make this independent decision, and the facts proved that it was correct and far-sighted. The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France has built a bridge between the East and the West, and also promoted the evolution of international relations in the direction of dialogue and cooperation.
Over the past 60 years, China-France relations have always kept pace with the times. In China's relations with Western countries, the two countries were the first to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership and launch institutional strategic dialogue; they were the first to carry out cooperation in aviation, nuclear energy, third-party markets, etc.; they were the first to establish cultural centers and hold cultural years in each other's countries, and to promote exchanges between global civilizations. Jian plays a leading role. The cooperation between the two countries has led to the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which has effectively promoted the global climate agenda.
History is the best teacher. The world today is very unstable and once again faces many risks. China is willing to work with France to carry forward the spirit of establishing diplomatic relations, promote the continuous development of China-France comprehensive strategic partnership, and make new contributions to strengthening cooperation in the world.
——China will expand high-level opening up and deepen cooperation with countries around the world, including France.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China. Over the past 75 years, thanks to the hard work of the entire Chinese people, China has developed from poverty to the world's second largest economy. Hundreds of millions of rural poor have been lifted out of poverty, creating a miracle in the history of human development. China's economic growth is expected to be 5.2% in 2023, and the target for 2024 is about 5%, with a higher quality of development. China will continue to provide impetus for global growth and bring opportunities to countries around the world.
An important experience in China's development is that it unswervingly insists on opening up to the outside world. We welcome more high-quality French agricultural products and cosmetics to enter the Chinese market to meet the Chinese people’s growing needs for a better life. We welcome companies from all over the world, including France, to invest and start business in China. We have fully liberalized manufacturing access and will speed up the relaxation of telecommunications, medical and other service industries. We have also granted a 15-day visa-free policy to ordinary citizens of France and many other countries, and formulated new measures to facilitate foreigners’ travel and payment in China.
China's opening up also includes encouraging companies to go abroad for cooperation. Currently, France is promoting "re-industrialization" based on green innovation, and China is also accelerating the development of new productive forces. The two sides can deepen innovation cooperation and jointly promote green development. Some Chinese companies have already set up battery factories in France. The Chinese government supports more Chinese companies to invest in France and hopes that France will provide them with a fair and just business environment.
——China is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with France to safeguard world peace and stability.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. 70 years ago, Premier Zhou Enlai first fully proposed the five principles of "mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence". Over the past 70 years, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have been generally accepted and recognized by countries around the world and have become an important norm for modern international relations.
China is a faithful practitioner of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. In the more than 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, it has never initiated a war or occupied an inch of land of other countries. China is also the only country in the world that has written its adherence to the path of peaceful development into its constitution, and is the only country among nuclear powers that has promised not to be the first to use nuclear weapons.
In recent years, I have successively proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative to contribute Chinese solutions to improving global governance and solving problems in human development. This has received support from more than 100 countries and international organizations around the world.
China understands the impact the Ukraine crisis has had on the European people. China is neither the creator of the Ukraine crisis nor a party or participant, but we have been playing a constructive role in promoting a peaceful resolution of the crisis. I have successively issued a number of appeals, including abiding by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and paying attention to the reasonable security concerns of all parties; emphasizing that nuclear weapons cannot be used and nuclear war cannot be fought. China has provided multiple batches of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and sent special envoys to relevant countries for mediation. The longer the Ukraine crisis lasts, the greater the damage will be to Europe and the world. China hopes that the European continent will return to peace and stability at an early date, and is willing to work with the international community, including France, to find a reasonable path to resolve the crisis.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict also affects people's hearts. The fundamental solution to the Palestinian-Israeli issue lies in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. History has repeatedly proved that the fundamental reason why the Palestinian-Israeli situation has repeatedly fallen into turmoil is that United Nations resolutions have not been effectively implemented, the foundation of the "two-state solution" has been continuously eroded, and the Middle East peace process has deviated from the right track. China and France have many consensuses on the Palestinian-Israeli issue and should strengthen cooperation and contribute to restoring peace in the Middle East.
Confucius said, "A gentleman who is harmonious but not lax is a strong person; a gentleman who is neutral but not independent is a strong person." French writer Romain Rolland said, "Abandoning independent thinking is the core of all misfortunes." As two major countries with independent spirits, China and France can burst out huge energy and influence the direction of the world every time they meet in the long history. Standing at a new historical intersection, let us join hands and start again to promote China-France relations to achieve new and greater achievements and benefit both countries and the world!
