China backs France in terrorism fight

China firmly supports France, still reeling from the Paris terror attacks, in its fight against terrorism and in safeguarding its national security, President Xi Jinping told French Prime Minister Manuel Valls in Beijing on Friday.

Valls, on his first visit to China since he took office in March, called for closer cooperation with China in dealing with terrorism and curbing the flow of extremists.

The visit followed the deadly Jan 7 to 9 attacks on staff members at Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly publication, and on a supermarket. Seventeen people were killed. China also experienced a number of terror attacks in 2014.

Xi called for the two countries to strengthen their cooperation in global affairs, with China giving its full support to France as it prepares to host the United Nations Climate Change Conference this year.

Last year China and the United States, the world's two biggest polluters, agreed on an ambitious action plan to cap greenhouse gas emissions, a move demonstrating their leaders' commitment to a new global climate pact to be negotiated in Paris in November.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, Xi also called for the two permanent members of the UN Security Council and victors in that war to uphold the postwar order and to work for a new type of international relationship with cooperation at its core.

In the presence of Valls and Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday, China and France signed 11 agreements in areas including civil aviation, nuclear power, finance, maritime satellites, new energy vehicles, environmental protection and education.

Valls heads to Shanghai on Saturday and will conclude his three-day visit there.

zhaoshengnan@chinadaily.com.cn