China – Meeting between Jean-Yves Le Drian and Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs (24 January 2019)

France attaches particular importance to its relations with China. Our goal is to strengthen our dialogue on international issues and to deepen our bilateral exchanges, notably in the economic sphere - topics that we address as part of our strategic dialogue.

With respect to international issues:

• the ministers will discuss the political and security issues on which our countries cooperate within the UN Security Council: the North Korean crisis and our efforts to help resolve it, the preservation of the Iranian nuclear deal concluded in Vienna, the fight against terrorism, as well as support for stabilization and economic development efforts in Africa;

• Jean-Yves Le Drian will reaffirm our attachment to strengthening multilateralism, including in the area of trade, namely with respect to access to the Chinese market by our firms and reciprocal investment;

• Jean-Yves Le Drian will discuss with his counterpart the implementation of the Paris climate accord and the negotiations on the adoption of a Global Pact for the Environment and the prospects for the COP 15 on Biological Diversity due to be hosted by China in 2020. We engage in close dialogue with China on these issues, as reflected by the French-Chinese declaration on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in November 2018.

With respect to bilateral relations, the ministers will discuss the development of our productive partnerships in the civilian nuclear and aerospace fields as well as cultural and scientific exchanges. These exchanges fall within the framework of the guidelines set out by President Macron and his Chinese counterpart during the state visit made by the president of the Republic of China in January 2018.