Xi, Macron enjoy friendly exchanges

President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China and France, as two major nations distinguished by their histories and cultures, can make greater contributions to global peace, stability and human progress through dialogue and cooperation, in a world facing intertwined changes and turmoil.

Xi made the remarks during friendly exchanges with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron in Dujiangyan, in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province. Dujiangyan is a 2,000-year-old pioneering irrigation system that achieved automatic water regulation and flood control without the use of dams or gates.

The meeting marked the second encounter between the two leaders during Macron's three-day visit to China, following their talks in Beijing on Thursday.

Xi told Macron that the Dujiangyan irrigation system, as the world's only ancient irrigation project still in operation, stands as one of the earliest successful practices of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

Its construction process, he said, fully reflects the Chinese nation's spirit of constant self-improvement, fearlessness in the face of hardship, and courage to forge ahead.

Each visit to Dujiangyan, Xi said, offers a reminder of the wisdom of the ancients, that is, adapting to local conditions, embracing the trend of the times, achieving harmony between humanity and nature and managing water for the benefit of the people.

"This spirit still offers insights for state governance today," he said.

Noting that the French people also possess a spirit of perseverance, Xi said that China and France should therefore be better positioned than many others to understand and respect each other.

Macron, who praised the diligence and wisdom of the Chinese people, said that China and France both possess ancient civilizations and their peoples share the same aspiration for a better life.

Bilateral cooperation, he added, can advance development and prosperity and bring tangible benefits to both peoples.

Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan also enjoyed tea by the waterside with Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron.

Xi stressed that national prosperity and rejuvenation require not only the accumulation of material wealth but also cultural-ethical advancement, noting that only a nation with cultural confidence can stand firm and thrive.

He added that Chinese civilization is the only great civilization in the world that has existed uninterrupted and continuously developed in the form of a state, markedly characterized by continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness and peace.

Noting that China and France are outstanding representatives of Eastern and Western civilizations, respectively, Xi said the spirit of independence shared by the two countries stems from their profound cultural heritage.

Two splendid civilizations

The establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries was not only a "handshake" between two independent countries, but also the convergence of two splendid civilizations, Xi added.

Macron said that given the rapidly evolving international landscape full of uncertainties, France is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China, engage in dialogue and consultation to address conflicts, and work together to safeguard world peace and stability.

The two heads of state agreed to maintain close communication to jointly promote the continuous development of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership.

Friday's exchange in Chengdu was the third time that Xi had an additional meeting with Macron outside the capital during Macron's state visits to China.

In recent years, aside from their official talks, the two heads of state have repeatedly opted for meetings held in diverse and symbolically meaningful locations beyond their capitals.

During Macron's visits to China in 2019 and 2023, Xi had hosted the French president at the Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai and at the Pine Garden in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, respectively.

When the Chinese president paid state visits to France in 2019 and last year, the two leaders also had additional interactions in the French city of Nice and Tarbes in Hautes-Pyrenees Department of France.

Jin Ling, director of the Department for Global Governance and International Organizations at the China Institute of International Studies, said that meetings outside the capital help create space for a broader and more multidimensional relationship.

"Exchanges in Beijing and Paris tend to focus on political and economic issues," she said. "But going outwards expands the breadth of the relationship, particularly in people-to-people and cultural engagement."

Such visits also give leaders more time for strategic communication, which is essential for building political mutual trust, she said.

Jin noted that the choice of Dujiangyan, with its connotations of governance wisdom, provides a meaningful backdrop for China and France to better understand each other's development paths and philosophies.

Better understanding

On each of his four state visits to China, Macron has made a point of traveling to another city beyond the capital, a practice that, Jin said, has helped the French president gain a better understanding of the country.

As a major hub in western China, Chengdu is not only a key regional center but also a renowned historic and cultural city and an important international transportation gateway. In 1981, Chengdu and the French city of Montpellier established a friendship city relationship, becoming the first pair of sister cities between China and France.

When delivering a speech on Friday at Sichuan University, Macron said he firmly believes that China and France are both great and brilliant civilizations, and that mutual respect and understanding form the foundation of their friendship.

He noted that the two sides have just signed an agreement that will enable the cultural treasures of Sanxingdui — a Shu civilization site with bronze artifacts dating back 3,000 to 3,600 years — to be exhibited in France, allowing the gems of Sichuan's ancient civilization to go on public display there.

Such mutual understanding is essential for advancing cooperation and for jointly navigating a world undergoing profound transformation, the French president said.

Macron concluded his trip to China on Friday.

During the visit, China and France issued joint statements on strengthening global governance, joint response to global climate and environmental challenges, continuous promotion of cooperation in peaceful use of nuclear energy, exchanges and cooperation in agriculture and food, and the situations in Ukraine and Palestine.