China – Meeting between Mme Catherine Colonna and Mr Wang Yi (15 February 2023)

Share

Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, hosted a meeting today with Mr Wang Yi, State Councillor and Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party.

The Minister and the State Councillor reiterated France and China’s commitment, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Minister called on the State Councillor to step up pressure on Russia to enable a return to compliance with the basic principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The Minister and the State Councillor emphasized the importance of continuing the efforts initiated to fight the consequences on global food security of the Russian aggression, particularly through the necessary extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative on 18 March 2023.

The Minister called on China to support the efforts under way to persuade Iran to end its escalation, which risks a major proliferation crisis that would have very negative consequences on regional and international stability. She also repeated that Iran’s support for the war of aggression being waged by Russia in Ukraine is unacceptable; it has led to a firm response from the European Union and an increase in Iran’s international isolation.

Following the meeting between President Macron and President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali last November, the Minister and the State Councillor stressed the importance of revitalizing the bilateral relationship, damaged by the pandemic, in every field and in particular in terms of people-to-people exchanges. The Minister signalled to the State Councillor France’s wish to maintain its close, demanding and ongoing dialogue with China on human rights.

The Minister and the State Councillor also expressed their desire to continue working jointly for sustainable development, environmental protection and the fight against climate change. The Minister proposed that China should be closely involved in preparations for the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact which France will be hosting on 22 and 23 June 2023. She also welcomed the adoption of the ambitious Global Biodiversity Framework at COP15 under the Chinese presidency, and invited China to support the oceans conference to be held in Nice in 2025 and co-chaired by France and Costa Rica. The Minister reiterated France’s support for full implementation of the commitments made under the Beijing Call for Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change, issued on 6 November 2019 by Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Xi Jinping. Finally, she emphasized the importance of China taking part in the One Forest Summit to be held in Libreville on 1 and 2 March, under the presidency of France and Gabon.