Paris, December 11th—Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today with Annie Genevard, General Secretary of the Les Républicains (LR) and Deputy President of the National Assembly of France.

Song spoke positively of China-France relations, and said that China and France are important strategic cooperation partners of each other. In recent years, the leaders of the two sides have conducted a series of important exchanges of visits, and bilateral relations have achieved many groundbreaking and exemplary results. China is willing to continue to consolidate political mutual trust with the French side, deepen the potential of cooperation, and constantly elevate China-France relations to a new level. The LR, as a political party adheres to Gaullism, has always been a participant and builder of China-France relations and has made active efforts to promote the development of China-France relations for a long time. The Chinese side appreciates this and hopes to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two Parties in all fields and at all levels on the basis of the existing basis, and work with the French side to establish a new type of political party relationship that seeks common ground while reserving differences, mutual respect, and mutual learning.

Genevard expressed that China's economic strength has continuously increased and China has gradually become a major country in the world. Developing relations with China has become the focus of France and the Europe. France-China relations have maintained a sound momentum of development for a long time, with fruitful results from cooperation in various fields. The LR has always pursued a friendly policy toward China and attached importance to developing relations with the CPC, and it will continue to promote exchanges and dialogue between the two Parties and make new contributions to deepening the friendship between France and China.

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