Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on January 16 held phone talks with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic counselor to French President Emmanuel Macron.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that in a world full of turbulence and changes, the healthy and stable development of China-France relations is of special significance.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council and independent major countries, China and France should strengthen strategic communication and play an important role in coping with global turmoil and changes, he added.

China, he said, is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with France, deepen strategic mutual trust and open up new prospects for the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership.

As this year marks the 20th anniversary of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, China is willing to work with France and other EU member states to uphold mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation and mutual benefit, so as to inject new impetus into the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, Wang said.

For his part, Bonne said that France, which attaches great importance to its ties with China, is willing to work with China to strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen cooperation in innovation and technology and jointly draw a blueprint for future development.

Bonne said his country, which opposes the Cold War mentality and bloc politics, is willing to play an active role in expanding EU-China dialogue, upholding multilateralism, promoting global economic recovery and collaborating on tackling climate change.

France understands and supports China's anti-COVID measures, and believes China will prevail over the latest round of the outbreak, he said.

The two sides exchanged views on the important agendas for bilateral exchanges in the next step.