BEIJING / CHENGDU -- China is willing to work with France to strengthen development-strategy alignment, expand two-way openness, and firmly uphold free trade and economic globalization, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in Beijing on Thursday.

Li made the remarks during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is on a state visit to China.

In recent years, China-France relations and cooperation have seen remarkable new progress and outcomes under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, Li said. He noted that this morning's meeting between the two heads of state has charted the course for further deepening bilateral relations.

As major global economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and France maintain close strategic communication, Li said, adding that their strong coordination and concrete actions contribute to mutual development and inject greater stability and certainty into the volatile, uncertain world of today.

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As significant, long-standing economic and trade partners, China and France have strong economic complementarity, numerous converging interests and a solid foundation for cooperation, Li said. By tightening economic and trade ties, the two sides can gather even greater synergy for development, he added.

The premier said that China is willing to strengthen its development-strategy alignment with France, expand two-way openness, strengthen cooperation in traditional fields such as aviation, aerospace and civil nuclear energy, and promote cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, green development and the silver economy. China also supports its enterprises in investing in France, and hopes that France will provide a fair, just and favorable business environment.

Noting that unilateralism and protectionism are currently on the rise, with an increase in international economic and trade frictions and disputes, Li said that it is now even more imperative that all parties engage in timely communication, deepen mutual understanding, seek common ground while reserving differences, take concrete actions, and walk toward each other to address each other's legitimate concerns in the proper manner.

He called on France to focus on cooperation and handle differences appropriately, with the aim of maintaining the correct development direction in China-EU relations. China is willing to work with France to firmly uphold free trade and economic globalization, Li added.

Macron said that France is willing to strengthen exchange and dialogue with China at all levels, expand two-way openness and mutual investment, work with China to explore third party markets, and deepen cooperation in fields such as the economy, trade, agriculture, aerospace, aviation, civil nuclear energy and renewable energy.

France is also willing to strengthen collaboration with China to safeguard free trade and the multilateral trading system, and to promote the reform and improvement of the global governance system, the president noted.

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Top legislator meets with French president

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Beijing on Thursday.

Zhao said that China stands ready to work with France to fully implement the important consensus reached between the two heads of state, carry forward the spirit of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations, strengthen friendly exchange, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, expand people-to-people and cultural exchange, and enhance dialogue and coordination in multilateral fields to promote the steady, positive development of bilateral relations.

Macron said that France and China have maintained candid, direct and substantive dialogue, and have reached extensive consensus. France admires China's achievements in areas such as the economy, science and technology, and is willing to deepen its practical cooperation with China, strengthen exchange between legislative bodies, jointly address global challenges, and continuously promote the balanced development of France-China relations.

Macron arrives in Chengdu

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday evening arrived in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province, to continue his three-day state visit to China.