Joint Declaration between the People's Republic of China and the French Republic

Joint Declaration between the People's Republic of China and the French Republic

At the invitation of Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, made a state visit to the People's Republic of China from 8 to 10 January 2018. The two heads of state had in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and major international issues and decided to bring the close and enduring comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France to a new level, based on the principles of trust and mutual and reciprocal benefit.

1. China and France, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, are committed to promoting peace, prosperity, sustainable development and security in the world in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. They will continue to promote the process of world multipolarity and multilateralism based on international law and the universally recognized norms governing international relations, and join hands to foster international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice and mutually beneficial cooperation. In this spirit, they recall their commitment to the United Nations and the reform initiated by its Secretary-General, and will work together to make the United Nations more efficient and responsive.

2. China and France intend to continue their joint efforts to build an open global economy; combat all forms of protectionism by ensuring a level playing field; and foster an economic globalization process that is more open, inclusive and balanced and brings benefits to all. In this spirit, they support the strengthening of the role of the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation and encourage it to play a more active role in international economic and financial governance.

3. China and France reaffirm their commitment to the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment. They believe that all WTO members need to strengthen the implementation of multilateral requirements and disciplines, including in terms of transparency and subsidies notification, so as to maintain the strength and credibility of the multilateral system. They reaffirm their support for the International Working Group on Export Credits in negotiating a new set of international guidelines for officially supported export credits. They are working to strengthen their cooperation within the framework of the IMF, and to continue to improve the IMF's quota and governance structure.

4. China and France undertake to strengthen their strategic dialogue through regular consultations on regional and international issues, to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law, and to work jointly within the United Nations to resolve regional and international hotspot issues, including the Middle East, Africa, the Korean Peninsula, and non-proliferation issues.

- On the Korean Peninsula, China and France are committed to the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. They are determined to promote a full and comprehensive implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. They call on the DPRK to comply with its international obligations and to abandon its nuclear and ballistic program in a comprehensive, irreversible and verifiable manner. China and France will continue to work for the preservation of the international non-proliferation regime based on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

- On Syria, China and France support the efforts of the United Nations in the Geneva process toward a political solution under the framework of Security Council Resolution 2254.

- On Libya, they support the mediation led by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and encourage the various Libyan parties to find an appropriate solution through an inclusive political dialogue. China and France pledge to contribute in particular to the fight against the illicit oil exports from Libya.

- On the peace process in the Middle East, they confirm their support for a two-state solution, under which the two states live side by side in security within internationally recognized borders, with Jerusalem as their capital, and in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.

- On Iran, they reaffirm their commitment to and their readiness to uphold the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action concluded in Vienna on 14 July 2015, and call on all parties to implement their commitments and to fulfill all their international obligations.

- In Africa, they support the efforts of African countries, African regional and subregional organizations as well as the G5 Sahel to address the issues of peace and security in Africa, including the fight against terrorism, and will continue to contribute to the achievement of lasting peace and sustainable development throughout the African continent.

5. China and France emphasize that terrorist threat knows no borders. They reaffirm their commitment to the central coordinating role of the United Nations in international cooperation. They will continue to support international initiatives to mobilize under the auspices of the United Nations all forces in the fight against terrorism in all its forms. They also recall the importance of combating terrorism financing. On 26 April 2018, France will organize an international conference in Paris on this theme, to which it will be pleased to see China participate.

6. China and France reaffirm that international law, and in particular, the Charter of the United Nations, applies in cyberspace. They are committed to promoting the development of internationally accepted standards of responsible behavior in cyberspace, in particular within the framework of the United Nations. They will strengthen their cooperation against cybercrime and other malicious activities in cyberspace, including attacks on key infrastructure and the theft of intellectual property by using information and communication technologies to acquire competitive advantages. They agree to continue to strengthen their exchanges and cooperation through the China-France dialogue mechanism on cyber issues.

7. China and France reaffirm their commitment to deepen and broaden their cooperation on environmental protection and climate change. China welcomes the convening of the "One Planet" Summit in Paris. France welcomes the official announcement by China on 19 December 2017 of the launch of its national emissions trading scheme. China and France are satisfied with the progress made on green finance since the work was initiated under the Chinese presidency of the G20. As a continuation of the work of COP23 of the UNFCCC, they will strengthen their collaboration with a view to reaching operational implementation rules for the Paris Agreement at COP24 of the UNFCCC, and will take concrete steps to push for its full, effective and timely implementation of the Paris Agreement. China and France will work together with other parties to raise state ambition before 2020. The Paris Agreement must be implemented in accordance with the principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, taking into account different national conditions. China and France will strengthen their exchanges on COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020.

8. China and France intend to continue their constructive dialogue on the formulation of the Global Pact for the Environment. They welcome the signing of an action plan for the protection of the environment (2018-2020) and a cooperation agreement on national parks and support the conservation of marine fauna and flora. They decide to launch a "China-France Year of the Environment" to strengthen their dialogue on the subjects concerned. China and France will also continue to identify and implement joint projects on sustainable cities.

9. China and France will strengthen their exchanges and cooperation on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development bilaterally and under the framework of multilateral fora such as the United Nations and the G20. They will continue to intensify their exchanges in this area via the Strategic Dialogue and will hold their development assistance working group meeting in 2018. China will continue to participate regularly in Paris Club meetings and to play a constructive role.

10. China reaffirms its support for the integration of the European Union. China and France will continue to work actively to implement the China-EU 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation and deepen the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership in areas of mutual interest, in a spirit of mutual and reciprocal benefit. They reaffirm their commitment to support the development of trade and investment relations between China and the EU, based on the principles of openness, transparency and fair competition and WTO rules. They support the swift conclusion of an ambitious comprehensive investment agreement between China and the EU, including market access and investment protection.

11. China and France intend to further develop their comprehensive strategic partnership, on the basis of mutual respect for each other' s sovereignty, territorial integrity, major interests and independently chosen paths of development, by strengthening their bilateral dialogue in a spirit of trust and mutual benefit. France reaffirms its commitment to the one-China principle. The two heads of state reaffirm the importance of the Strategic Dialogue, the High-level Economic and Financial Dialogue and the High-level Dialogue on People-to-People Exchanges between the two countries.

12. The two heads of state welcome the quality of cooperation between China and France on economic and financial issues. They welcome the adoption of the Joint Fact Sheet and the attached Joint Financial Action Plan on 1 December 2017 at the Fifth High-Level Economic and Financial Dialogue, and call for a speedy implementation of the commitments made at this dialogue, particularly with regard to the opening up of their economies in terms of trade and investment, the strengthening of the conditions of competition between their companies, and granting transparent and non-discriminatory access to companies from both countries.

13. The two heads of state express their high appreciation of the active cooperation between the two countries in the field of civil nuclear energy and support the deepening of cooperation in all areas of the nuclear fuel cycle. They welcome the forthcoming commissioning of the EPR 1 and 2 reactors in Taishan and the exemplary cooperation between the French and Chinese manufacturers on the EPR. They stress the importance of spent fuel recycling for the sustainable development of nuclear energy. They welcome the agreement signed by the two co-chairs of the Bilateral High Level Committee on the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle for the early finalization in 2018 of the trade negotiations for the project of a reprocessing-recycling plant of spent fuel in China. China and France will work to advance the Hinkley Point C project in the UK and continue the efforts on the Sizewell C project. The French side will continue to work with the Chinese side to get the technology of the Chinese HPR1000 to pass the GDA and be certified by the competent authorities of the UK. Companies of both countries will promote the implementation of the Bradwell B project.

14. China and France wish to continue to strengthen their good cooperation in the aeronautical field. The two heads of state invite Airbus and its Chinese partners to hold discussions for new cooperation on A330, A350 and A380. China, in line with the development needs of its air transport market, wishes to continue its purchase of Airbus aircraft on the basis of mutually beneficial and friendly negotiations with the French side. China and France are happy with the prospect of new contracts signing in the future.

15. China and France support cooperation in the fields of modern agroecology and food processing. Considering that the opening of markets for safe and quality products is in the interest of both China and France, they reaffirm the importance of facilitating trade in agri-food products based on international standards while respecting respective national legal procedures and intend to continue to deepen cooperation on quality control. Both sides attach great importance to the quarantine and inspection of French beef export to China. They agree to take it as a priority in their cooperation in the coming 6 months and make efforts to promote trade and guarantee safety. The Chinese side undertakes to grant approval to French pork and dairy products companies, particularly infant dairy products companies, which meet the requirements. China intends to continue its exchanges with the French side on the prevention and control of bird flu and to work to lift relevant embargo as soon as possible. China and France fully recognize the active role of the China-France Mixed Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in promoting agricultural cooperation, and will hold its fifth meeting in 2018 in France.

16. China and France intend to promote synergy between the "Made in China 2025" and "Industry of the Future" initiatives. They support the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between companies in both countries on a voluntary basis and in a spirit of equality, and the formulation of common norms and standards for the industry of tomorrow. They recognize the need to protect the confidentiality of sensitive data and trade secrets.

17. China and France intend to continue to deepen their cooperation in the fields of space science and technology and their applications. They wish to actively promote the development of the Chinese-French oceanographic and astronomical satellites with a view to launching them in good conditions and according to schedule. They are working to strengthen their cooperation on the joint study of climate change using space technologies and on space exploration.

18. China and France intend to continue to expand their cooperation in third-party markets by implementing the Joint Declaration between China and France on the partnerships in third-party markets of June 2015.

19. France welcomes the Belt and Road Initiative. China and France agree to explore concrete cooperation projects based on the principle of mutual benefit.

20. China and France will strengthen their cooperation in the fields of educational, cultural and scientific exchanges in accordance with the joint declaration adopted on 24 November 2017 during the fourth China-France High-level Dialogue on People-to-people Exchanges. In particular, they will strive to develop their cooperation, through the exchange of expertise and training programs, to preserve and utilize heritage, a reflection of our cultural diversity. In this regard, both sides support the organizing of exhibitions and seminars by the Pompidou Center and the Museum of Fine Arts-West Bund in Shanghai. China and France are committed to exchanges and cooperation in terms of education, film and language on the basis of mutual benefit. China and France will continue to promote cooperation in higher education and support the two-way exchange of trainees through the "1,000 trainees" program. They agree to strengthen cooperation on innovation in all areas. They agree to hold a new session of the Joint Scientific and Technological Commission in order to define new priority themes for scientific exchanges as soon as possible.

21. In the context of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, China and France undertake to conclude a declaration of intent and support the development of sports infrastructure and sharing of expertise in sports economics. They will use the 2018 China-EU Tourism Year to intensify their cooperation on tourism and further increase people's exchanges in both directions between China and France.

22. The two heads of state welcome the creation of a China-France Hospital Alliance and the strengthening of the partnership on the theme of healthy aging. They decide to hold regular China-France health meetings from 2018 and encourage exchanges and cooperation between institutions and companies in the health sector. China and France will conduct advanced joint research on emerging infectious diseases, using the Wuhan P4 laboratory.

23. China and France are committed to better coordination between the different bilateral dialogues and smoother implementation of projects that involve multiple ministries or commissions. The two heads of state welcome the establishment of a regular dialogue on energy.

24. China and France agree to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the legal and judicial fields on the basis of the principle of equality and decide to establish a dialogue mechanism in this area.

25. China and France stress the importance of security and defense dialogue through mutual visits of military authorities and high-level bilateral annual exchanges such as the dialogue on strategic defense issues.

26. The two heads of state welcome the establishment of a China-France Business Council and encourage its members to contribute their ideas to deepen the economic relationship and promote economic cooperation and trade between the two countries.

27. China and France stress the importance of the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations to the development of all countries. Both sides reaffirm the importance of continuing the dialogue and exchanges between China and the EU on human rights on the basis of equality and mutual respect.