Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi(2nd R) meets with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault(2nd L) in New York, the United States on Sept. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

NEW YORK, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Sunday night.

As permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, China and France maintain sound coordination in international affairs, Wang said.

China hopes to further strengthen cooperation with France during the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, he added.

The two countries recently have made progress in the construction of the British Hinkley Point nuclear power station, and China would like to further conduct the third-party cooperation with France, Wang said.

Ayrault congratulates China for its successful hosting of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hang Zhou.

France is willing to keep high-level exchanges with China and deepen cooperation in third-party markets so as to maintain the bilateral relationship at a high level, he added.

The two sides also exchanged views on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, climate change, Syria, and Israel and Palestine issue.