Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held separate meetings with diplomatic adviser to French President Philippe Etienne and former U.S. official Susan Shirk in Beijing Thursday.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with diplomatic adviser to French President Philippe Etienne in Beijing, on February 28, 2019. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

When meeting Etienne, Wang said that this year marked the 55th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations, and both should carefully prepare for the high-level exchanges between the two countries within the year, to lead the steady development of China-France comprehensive strategic partnership through leaders' meeting.

As permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations, China and France should keep close communication when facing a complex international situation, he said.

"China and France should cooperate to meet various challenges," said Wang, adding that the two sides should "co-release a positive signal of adhering to multilateralism, opposing unilateralism, maintaining peace and stability, and improving global governance."

Etienne said that France was willing to work with China to prepare for high-level exchanges between the two countries, strengthen multilateral coordination as well as maintain multilateralism.

When meeting with Susan Shirk, Wang called on the United States to view China's development and the broad common interests between the two countries in an objective and rational way.

He suggested China and the United States jointly advance bilateral relations with coordination, cooperation and stability as the defining features in accordance with important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries.

Shirk expressed the hope that both countries could carry out cooperation in broad fields and settle differences through negotiations.