Chinese official, French diplomatic advisor hold talks

BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo held talks with French president's diplomatic advisor Paul Jean-Ortiz on Saturday, pledging to strengthen the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership.

Calling relations "one of the important bilateral relations in the world," Dai said China is willing to work with France to develop ties in a positive and comprehensive spirit of innovation and reciprocity.

Both sides would look to maintain mutual understanding and respect, take each other's core interests and major concerns into consideration and strengthen coordination on significant international and regional issues. This would make the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership more substantial and conducive to both nations as well as the world, said the state councilor.

Jean-Ortiz said France attaches great importance to bilateral ties and looks forward to maintaining a high-level exchange of visits.

He hoped that both nations would intensify bilateral cooperation in the areas of nuclear energy and aviation and spaceflight technology, as well as expand cooperation on agriculture and sustainable development and enhance communication on major international and regional issues.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in West Asia and North Africa and the issue of Syria.