China and France to deepen cooperation

Chinese Vice-Premier Ma Kai, second left, shakes hands with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, second right, as they meet for the 2nd China-France High-Level Economic and Financial Dialogue in Paris, Sept 15, 2014. [Photo by Tuo Yannan/chinadaily.com.cn]

PARIS - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls met with Chinese Vice-Premier Ma Kai during the 2nd China-France High-Level Economic and Financial Dialogue in Paris on Monday.

Speaking highly of the relationship between the two countries, Valls said the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to France in March was of great importance to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership and deep relationship between the sides.

Stressing that the countries continue to maintain good and stable cooperation in aviation, civilian nuclear power, the automobile industry and tourism, Valls expressed his hope that this cooperation will extend to new areas such as finance, urbanization, healthcare and agriculture. He added that France supports a stronger role for China's currency in the international monetary system.

Ma said the dialogue is an important collaborative mechanism which the two presidents decided to set up during French President Francois Hollande's visit to China last April. This year's meeting was designed as an implementation of the important consensus achieved during Xi's visit to France a few months ago.

He said finance and taxation has become a new highlight in bilateral relations as well as cooperation in the production of nuclear energy for civilian purposes. Car manufacturing has also made major breakthroughs.

Ma also expressed the hope that the two sides can maintain the important momentum of high-level exchanges while enhancing mutual political trust and pragmatic cooperation.

Ma and French Minister of Finance Michel Sapin jointly hosted the dialogue. The two countries, Ma said, are both in a crucial period of economic transition and structural reform, and that the strengthening of communication in macroeconomic policy would help further expand the breadth and depth of economic and trade cooperation between them.