Chinese President Xi Jinping (second left), French President Emmanuel Macron (second right), German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend the closing ceremony of a global governance forum co-hosted by China and France in Paris on March 26 (XINHUA)

Editor's note: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first overseas visit in 2019 is poised to bring China-Europe relations to new heights. Xi, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed to strengthen China-European Union (EU) relations and global governance cooperation. While attending a global governance forum in Paris cohosted by China and France, Xi proposed a four-pronged approach to addressing the governance, trust, peace and development deficits in global affairs. The following is an edited excerpt of a Xinhua News Agency report on the event:

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged countries around the world on March 26 to make concerted efforts in four aspects of global governance and jointly shape the future of humanity in the face of severe worldwide challenges.

Xi made the remarks at the closing ceremony of a global governance forum cohosted by China and France in Paris. Along with Xi and his French counterpart, Macron, the event was also attended by Merkel and Juncker. China and France, both important players in global governance, enjoy a broad political consensus and a solid foundation for cooperation on major issues such as safeguarding world peace, security and stability; upholding multilateralism and free trade; and supporting the United Nations' (UN) active role, Xi said.

He noted that China and France are both committed to the principles of mutual respect, mutual trust, equality, openness, inclusiveness and win-win results.

The two countries have been jointly safeguarding the fundamental principles of international relations and advancing the improvement of global governance, he said, adding that they have become an important force for promoting world peace, stability and the advancement of human civilization.

Xi proposed a four-pronged approach to addressing the "four deficits" of governance, trust, peace and development.

Firstly, the Chinese president called for fairness and reasonableness in addressing the governance deficit.

It is advisable to promote a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contributions and shared benefits, and the principle that global affairs should be settled by the peoples of the world through consultation, Xi said, calling for actively advancing the democratization of global governance rules.

He also appealed for upholding the UN, a banner of multilateralism, giving full play to the constructive role of global and regional multilateral mechanisms and jointly pushing for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Secondly, Xi advocated consultation and understanding to tackle the trust deficit.

It is wise to put mutual respect and mutual trust first, make use of dialogue and consultation, seek common ground while shelving and narrowing differences, increase strategic trust and reduce mutual suspicion, Xi said.

It is also advisable to take the right approach regarding justice and interests by putting justice before interests, he recommended.

He urged closer communication and dialogue between different civilizations so as to increase mutual understanding and mutual recognition.

Thirdly, he proposed joint efforts and mutual assistance to address the peace deficit.

It is prudent to uphold a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, discard cold war and zero-sum mentalities, reject the law of the jungle and settle conflicts through peaceful means, he said.

Xi also appealed for rejecting such approaches as beggaring thy neighbor and seeking benefits at the expense of others.

Fourthly, Xi called for mutual benefits and win-win results regarding the development deficit.

It is a good idea to pursue an innovation-driven, well-coordinated, interconnected, fair and inclusive approach, and forge a growth model of vitality, a cooperation model of openness and win-win results, and a development model of balance and common benefits, so that people from across the world can share the benefits of economic globalization, Xi stated.

China supports necessary UN reforms and seeks to safeguard the multilateral trading system, Xi said, adding that it welcomes France and other countries to actively take part in the development of the Belt and Road.

He also stressed the need for joint efforts to advance negotiations on a China-EU investment agreement.

Hailing the Sino-French friendship, Xi called on the two countries to strengthen cooperation with a long-term and future-oriented perspective under the new circumstances.

China and France should deepen cooperation in traditional areas, accelerate cooperation in emerging areas, strengthen cooperation in addressing climate change, implement the Paris Agreement in an all-around way, and push for positive results at the UN Climate Action Summit 2019, so as to benefit the two peoples as well as the entire world, Xi said.

In his remarks, Macron said communication and coordination between the EU and China play an indispensable role in safeguarding multilateralism.

The EU and China take similar positions in such areas as the Iranian nuclear issue, climate change and Africa's security and development, while both insist on the construction of a strong and just multilateral system, he said.

The French president acknowledged that China's fast development and poverty alleviation efforts were impressive and said France attaches great importance to the significant and active role China now plays in international affairs.

The EU and China, as important forces on the world stage, should increase strategic mutual trust and promote cooperation through dialogue, he said.

Macron also stated that the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China is significant and can play an important role in world peace, stability and development, suggesting that the EU can conceivably align its development strategy with the initiative in an innovative way and jointly promote Eurasian connectivity.

Merkel said the sound relationship between European countries and China has laid a good foundation for carrying out multilateral cooperation between the EU and China.

She urged the EU to accelerate the negotiations on an EU-China investment agreement and actively discuss participation in the Belt and Road.

Moreover, the EU and China should cooperate to safeguard multilateralism and compare notes on reforms of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other multilateral institutions, she said.

Germany proposes to hold a leaders' meeting between the EU and China next year, the chancellor said.

Referring to the EU and China as important strategic cooperative partners, Juncker said it is important that the two sides maintain dialogue on an equal footing, calling for the EU and China to actively advance the negotiations on an EU-China investment agreement and maintain coordination on major international issues such as WTO reforms.

Juncker said he is looking forward to seeing positive results at the upcoming 21st EU-China Summit.

Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo

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