China, France see scope for cooperation

Experts from both China and France shared their common belief that true multilateralism is key to global governance and that there is still much potential for Sino-French cooperation at a forum in Paris on Thursday.

More than 100 experts and professionals held in-depth discussions under the theme "Global governance reforms and the future of multilateralism" at the second China-France forum on global governance.

Former French prime minister Laurent Fabius said France and China "share certain close — even identical — visions on global governance".

He illustrated the "right path of multilateralism" with two examples: The lengthy negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue, which concluded with an agreement in July 2015, and the Paris Agreement of December 2015 at the 21st United Nations climate change conference, or COP21, over which Fabius presided.

"There is no true multilateralism without a genuine practice of compromise, which ... is the opposite of weakness or irresolution," he said.

"In the realms of security, economy and environment, multilateralism emerges as the most effective path to address the majority of issues in our multipolar world. Therefore, in this 60th year of our friendship, it is useful to recall how important the common attachment of China and France to genuine multilateralism is for us and for the world."

The forum was guided by the State Council Information Office of China and China International Communications Group, and jointly hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, and China-Europe-America Global Initiative.

Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group, said in his opening speech that as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-French diplomatic relations, the forum aims at upholding the "China-France spirit", pooling more consensus and wisdom and building a more solid and dynamic bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Du suggested both sides jointly lead global climate governance, citing a report from the International Energy Agency that China has become the world's largest renewable energy market and the largest manufacturer of clean energy equipment.

Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation, said France and China converge on climate issues.

Citing the two countries' joint water management in Senegal, she said: "Africa could represent a privileged geographical axis for joint action, particularly in the area of renewable energies, between France and China, and hopefully, between Europe and China."

Maintaining peace, security

Wu Hailong, president of China Public Diplomacy Association, said he believes that in the process of upholding multilateralism and deepening global governance, the most urgent issue is to maintain world peace and security.

"China and France both have independent and autonomous awareness, and both sides should exclude geopolitical and ideological interference and maintain a positioning of partnership rather than adversaries."

At the closing ceremony, Jiang Xiaojuan, president of China Society of Industrial Economics and a professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said technological innovation requires international cooperation more than ever.

"China and France are highly complementary economically and have enormous potential for cooperation. Both countries possess rich and unique cultures, providing extensive opportunities for trade, investment and a basis for people-to-people exchanges," she said.

The opening and closing ceremonies were chaired by David Gosset, founder of the China-Europe-America Global Initiative. The conference also featured three thematic sub-forums focusing on peace construction and maintenance, technological innovation and development, and low-carbon sustainable development.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.