On January 25, 2024, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended a reception celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in Beijing. The guests first listened to video speeches from President Xi Jinping and President Emmanuel Macron.

Wang Yi said, the two heads of state had spoken highly of the significance and glorious past of bilateral relations and drawn up the blueprint for the development of bilateral relations in the next 60 years, charting the course of and injecting impetus into further efforts of the two sides. The extraordinary history of China-France relations is rooted in the spiritual traits shared by the two nations. Both China and France are confident and independent nations, both are ancient and ever-new civilizations, and both are major countries with global responsibilities. This has set the tone and nature of China-France relations featuring win-win cooperation, exchanges, mutual learning, and common progress. China and France have neither geopolitical conflicts nor conflicts of fundamental interests. What the two countries share is an independent and pioneering spirit that resonates between them. It is the mutual appreciation and attraction between the two great civilizations. In promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, China and France share a high degree of strategic convergence and extensive common interests.

Wang Yi said, as the world enters a period of volatility and turbulence, the new challenges of the times have given China-France relations a new historical mission. As both permanent members of the UN Security Council and independent major countries, China and France should uphold the fine tradition and demonstrate responsibilities to lead the stable and long-term development of China-Europe relations and make greater contributions to world peace, development and progress.

First, continue to be the force for excellence and good. The two countries should safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and the norms of international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and support each other's multilateral concepts and initiatives to jointly resolve difficulties in global governance and respond to global challenges.

Second, continue to be friends with sincerity and mutual trust. The two countries should respect each other's core interests and major concerns, make good use of multi-tiered and multi-dimensional communication channels, have sincere exchanges, expand consensus, bridge differences and enhance mutual trust.

Third, continue to be mutually beneficial partners. China continues to promote high-quality development and high-standard opening-up, which will provide more convenience for investors from France and other countries to invest and do business in China. It is believed that the French side will also uphold the concept of openness and provide a fair, just and predictable business environment for Chinese companies.

Fourth, continue to set an example of exchanges and mutual learning. Taking the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the Paris Olympic Games as opportunities, the two sides should actively expand cooperation in such fields as culture, education, science and technology and sports and at the sub-national level to facilitate personnel exchanges and promote people-to-people bonds.

French Ambassador to China Bertrand Lortholary, on behalf of France, delivered a speech. He said that France and China enjoy fruitful practical cooperation and strong people-to-people ties. The French side will jointly follow through on the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state and extend the positive momentum of bilateral relations to open a new chapter of bilateral friendship in the new era.

The reception was co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the French Embassy in China and attended by more than 200 friendly people from all walks of life from the two countries.