President vows to boost cooperation as visit begins

President Xi Jinping said that China will open even wider to the world and deepen cooperation with France and all other countries as he kicked off a state visit to the European country on Sunday.

Xi made the remarks in a signed article published in leading French newspaper Le Figaro on the day he arrived, saying that one thing that has made China's development possible is its firm commitment to opening-up.

"We welcome investment by companies from France and other countries to China. To this end, we have fully opened up China's manufacturing sector, and will move faster to expand market access to telecom, medical and other services," he said.

As the Chinese economy is expected to grow by around 5 percent in 2024 with greater progress toward high-quality development, Xi said China will remain a source of global growth and create opportunities for all countries. "The Chinese government supports more Chinese companies in investing in France. And we hope that France will ensure that they operate in a fair and equitable business environment," he said.

As this year marks the 60th anniversary of China-France relations, Xi said China is ready to work with France in the spirit that guided the establishment of their diplomatic ties, to forge a stronger comprehensive strategic partnership, especially in a world facing a multitude of risks.

"China will strengthen communication and coordination with France to uphold world peace and stability," he said.

Speaking of the Ukraine crisis that has now lasted for more than 700 days, Xi said the longer it drags on, the greater harm it will do to Europe and the world.

"China understands the repercussions of the Ukraine crisis on the people of Europe," he said, vowing to work with France and the whole international community to find a reasonable way out of the crisis.

He also said it is critical that China and France strengthen cooperation and help restore peace in the Middle East when "the Palestinian-Israeli conflict pulls on our heartstrings". "China and France share a broad consensus on the Palestine-Israel issue," he said.

Referring to China and France as two major countries that both value independence, Xi said their interactions in the long course of history have released tremendous energy, swaying the trajectory of the world.

"Now we are standing at another historical starting point. Let us join hands together on this new journey toward greater progress in China-France relations to the benefit of our two countries and the world!"

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn