On September 23, 2011, Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo held consultation with French President's Diplomatic Adviser Jean-David Levitte in Paris. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on the current international situation, the European situation and the China-France relations.
Dai said that the current international situation is undergoing profound and complex changes which pose challenges to and raise new requirements for all the governments and the global governance. To cope with the crisis also presents opportunities for great development and major advancement, which requires significant and profound reforms. The future of the world lies in taking the road of reform and innovation and the key to reform is to emancipate our mind and keep progressing.
He noted that the China-France relations develop soundly at present. Since the beginning of this year, President Hu Jintao and President Sarkozy have met twice successfully. The two countries enjoy steady progress of economic and trade cooperation and wider cultural exchanges and maintain close communication and coordination on the G20 and other major regional and international affairs. Efforts should be made to implement the consensus reached between the two heads of state and conduct cooperation at a higher level in a closer, more sustainable and innovative manner so that China-France relations can achieve full development in the second decade of the 21st century. The two sides should respect each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity, fundamental interests and the development path independently chosen by themselves, actively explore new ideas of mutually beneficial cooperation, constantly enrich and improve the bilateral economic and trade cooperation, accelerate the transformation of cooperation in the traditional areas, try to create new key areas of cooperation, enhance the sustainable development of the bilateral trade and economic cooperation and strengthen the link of interests between them. China is willing to make joint efforts with France to promote positive outcome of the G20 Cannes Summit. China will unswervingly push forward the cooperative relations with France no matter how the international situation changes.
Levitte said that the France-China relations enjoy very good momentum of development. The two countries have frequent political exchanges and the two heads of state personally take great care of the bilateral relations and have guided and promoted new progress of the bilateral ties. President Sarkozy warmly welcomes President Hu Jintao to attend the G20 Cannes Summit. France attaches great importance to developing relations with China and hopes the two sides strengthen the high-level exchanges, step up the pragmatic cooperation and push the bilateral relations to a new level.
The two sides indicated that practices show their strategic dialogue has played the due role of enhancing the strategic communication, increasing the strategic mutual trust and boosting the mutually beneficial cooperation. They will continue to strengthen this mechanism in order to push forward the bilateral relations.
Levitte analyzed the debt problems of the euro zone and introduced the proactive measures being taken. He said that the European integration is hard-won and will never back off although reform is difficult and it takes time to coordinate and implement. The general direction of continuing to move forward is clear and all countries must work together.
Dai said that the European countries have actively promoted the integration for several decades after war and gone through many difficulties and trials since the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community up until now. We are confident that the EU, faced with new problems, will advance the reform in the process of dealing with the crisis and achieve new progress of integration. We are all in the same boat and should pull together to overcome difficulties.
The two sides also discussed other regional and international issues of mutual interest.