JOINT DECLARATION BETWEEN THE FRENCH REPUBLIC AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

USPA NEWS - At the invitation of Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, made a state visit to the People's Republic of China from April 5 to 7, 2023. As the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France approaches, the two Heads of State recalled the solidity of the foundation of relations between the two countries and the friendship between the two peoples. They discussed in depth their views on the bilateral relationship, the EU-China relationship and major regional and international issues and decided to launch new prospects for Franco-Chinese cooperation, and to seek new impetus for relations between the European Union and China, following on from the joint declarations adopted on January 9, 2018, March 25, 2019 and November 6, 2019.
(Source Elysee, French Presidency). THIS IS NOT A USPA FULL REPORT COVERAGE OF THE FRENCH PRESIDENT’ S TRIP.
USPA, having been unable to cover this event, due to exclusion from the trip, over disability, we are publishing the translation of the full text of the Joint Press release as it was delivered by the French Presidency.

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE FRENCH REPUBLIC AND THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA


STRENGHTEN POLITICAL DIALOGUE AND RPOOTE MUTUAL POLITICAL TRUST
1. France and China will maintain annual meetings between the two Heads of State.
2. France and China stress the importance of high-level exchanges, their strategic dialogue, their high-level economic and financial dialogue and their high-level dialogue on human exchanges to promote the development of their bilateral cooperation , and agree to hold a new session of the said dialogues before the end of the year.
3. France and China reaffirm their desire to pursue the continuous development of their close and solid global strategic partnership, on the basis of mutual respect for their sovereignty, their territorial integrity and their major interests.

4. France and China agree to deepen exchanges on strategic issues and in particular to deepen dialogue between the Southern Theater of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Command of French Forces in the Asia-Pacific Zone ( ALPACI), in order to strengthen mutual understanding of regional and international security issues.
5. China, in this year of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, reaffirms its commitment to the development of EU-China relations, encourages high-level exchanges in order to promote convergence of views on strategic challenges, to increase human exchanges, to respond together to global challenges and to promote economic cooperation in a proactive and balanced way. France, as a Member State of the European Union, shares these guidelines and will contribute to them.
6. France reaffirms its commitment to the one-China policy.

PROMOTING SECURITY AND STABILITY TOGETHER IN THE WORLD
7. France and China, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, work together to find constructive solutions, based on international law, to the challenges and threats to international security and stability. They believe that differences and disputes between States should be settled peacefully through dialogue and consultation. They seek to strengthen the multilateral international system under the aegis of the United Nations, in a multipolar world.
8. France and China reiterate their endorsement of the Joint Declaration of the Heads of State and Government of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States (P5) of January 3, 2022 to prevent nuclear war and avoid arms races. As this statement reminds us, “a nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought”. The two countries call for refraining from any action likely to aggravate the risk of tension.

9. The two countries intend to strengthen coordination and cooperation to jointly safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the arms control and non-proliferation regime and advance the international arms control process. France and China reaffirm their commitment to promote in a balanced manner the three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which are nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy , and to continually strengthen the universality, authority and effectiveness of the NPT.
10. Both parties support all efforts to restore peace in Ukraine on the basis of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
11. Both sides oppose armed attacks on nuclear power plants and other peaceful nuclear facilities, support the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in its efforts to play a constructive role in promoting nuclear safety and the security of peaceful nuclear installations, including ensuring the safety and security of the Zaporizhia power plant.

12. Both countries stress the importance that all parties to the conflict must scrupulously observe international humanitarian law. They call in particular to protect women and children, victims of the conflict, and to increase humanitarian aid to conflict areas, and to provide safe, rapid and unhindered access for humanitarian aid in accordance with international commitments.
13. The two countries will continue their consultations within the framework of the Franco-Chinese strategic dialogue.
14. The conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Iranian Nuclear Action Plan (JCPoA) in 2015 was an important achievement of multilateral diplomacy. France and China reiterate their commitment to promoting a political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue. They reiterate their commitment to work to preserve the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and the authority and effectiveness of Security Council resolutions. They reiterate their support for the International Atomic Energy Agency in this context.
15. France and China will continue close consultations on the Korean Peninsula.
16. The two countries agree to continue their exchanges via the Franco-Chinese dialogue o

PROMOTING ECONOMIC EXCHANGES 17. France and China undertake to grant fair and non-discriminatory conditions of competition to companies, particularly in the fields of cosmetics, agricultural and agri-food products, air traffic management, finance (banks, insurance, asset managers), health (medical equipment, vaccines), and even energy, investments and sustainable development. To achieve this, the two countries are working to provide a good environment for business cooperation, improve business access to each other's markets, improve the business environment, and ensure respect for human rights. intellectual property of all companies in both countries. In the field of the digital economy, including in terms of 5G, the French party undertakes to pursue the fair and non-discriminatory treatment of license applications from Chinese companies on the basis of laws and regulations, including in terms of national security of both countries.

18. France and China intend to continue to strengthen their pragmatic cooperation in all areas of the service sector, and support economic and trade exchanges between institutions and enterprises of the two countries on the basis of mutual benefit, with a view to promoting the development of trade in services. France is ready to accept the invitation to participate in the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) as guest of honor.

19. China and France wish to intensify their partnership in the agricultural, agro-food, veterinary and phytosanitary fields. They welcome the securing of access to the market for pork products, the opening of the market for baby kiwi and for dairy proteins in animal feed, as well as the approval issued to 15 establishments exporting pork. The competent authorities of the two countries will respond as soon as possible to future applications for approval of companies exporting agricultural and agri-food products, in particular meat and aquaculture, to applications for registration of infant milk recipes, which meet the requirements laid down by their food safety laws and regulations, as well as to market opening requests made by their respective authorities. The two parties will continue their exchanges and cooperation in the suckler cattle and viticulture sectors, as well as on geographical indications (GIs), in particular for the registration of GIs for Burgundy wines.

France will support the application that China will submit to join the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) as soon as possible, as well as the organization by China of an international conference on the wine industry.

20. France and China welcome the conclusion of a “General Terms Agreement” confirming the acquisition by Chinese companies of 160 Airbus aircraft. They will timely study the needs of Chinese airlines, especially cargo and long-haul, according to the recovery and development of the Chinese transport market and air fleet. The two parties welcome the strengthening of cooperation between the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), and will continue to accelerate the certification process based on standards mutually recognized international safety standards, particularly with regard to the H175, Falcon 8X and Y12F programs. They welcome the conclusion of an agreement between the companies of the two countries on sustainable aviation fuels. They are also continuing the industrial cooperation initiated, in particular the project for the new Airbus assembly line in Tianjin.

21. France and China support the resumption as soon as possible of air connectivity to its pre-pandemic level, in a coordinated manner between civil aviation authorities and with a view to a return to the application of the 'Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the French Republic relating to air transport signed on June 1, 1966 and the relevant arrangements on air freedoms. Airlines of both flags should have fair and equal opportunities to operate flights between the two countries. They support the deepening of human and economic exchanges, including the facilitation of the issuance of visas for actors from the private sector and the business community.

22. Both sides welcome the cooperation between the two countries' space institutions regarding the Chang'e 6 probe and joint studies of extraterrestrial samples.
23. In their common desire for a transition to a carbon-free energy system, France and China are developing pragmatic cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy within the framework of the Cooperation Agreement for the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy between the two governments. The two countries are committed to continuing their nuclear cooperation on cutting-edge research and development topics, in particular on the basis of the agreement between the Atomic Energy Authority of China (CAEA) and the Commissariat at Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies (CEA). The two countries support the study by the companies of the two countries of the possibility of strengthening their industrial and technological cooperation, in particular on the question of the reprocessing of nuclear waste.

24. China and France welcome the results obtained by the 2015 intergovernmental agreement on partnerships in third markets. The two parties are working to monitor and implement the third-party market cooperation projects already identified. The two governments encourage companies, financial institutions and other players to explore new structuring economic cooperation projects in third-party markets, on the basis of applicable high international standards.

REVIVING HUMAN AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES
25. Anxious to promote the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions in the world, France and China support the deepening of their cooperation in the field of the creation and enhancement of cultural works and will promote a dynamic recovery exchanges and cooperation in the cultural and tourist fields. The two countries welcome the conclusion of a declaration of intent relating to cooperation in the field of culture between the two Ministries of Culture.
26. The two parties will co-organize the Franco-Chinese Year of Cultural Tourism in 2024 and support the organization in France and China of high quality events, in particular between the Palace of Versailles and the Forbidden City as well as between the Center Pompidou and the West Bund Museum. The two parties undertake to facilitate the circulation of the exhibitions in compliance with the laws of the two countries, in particular in the customs and logistical aspects, and will endeavor to guarantee the integrity and the return of the works exhibited to the public within the framework of the supported exhibitions.

27. The two parties reaffirm their desire to strengthen cooperation in the field of cultural and creative industries, and their potential for dissemination to the widest audience, in particular in the sectors of literature, cinema, television documentary, film and music. Publishing (including video games), music, architecture and digital media through co-productions, copyright partnerships, competitions and artist exchanges.

28. France and China undertake to intensify their bilateral cooperation in the field of protection, restoration and promotion of cultural heritage. The two countries welcome the conclusion of a roadmap on heritage cooperation relating in particular to the presence of Chinese experts alongside French teams on the restoration site of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, to cooperation in terms of protection, restoration and study of the Terracotta Army, on cooperation projects around the Gongshutang Temple and the Maoling Tomb and on the promotion of the twinning of French and Chinese World Heritage sites. The two countries will pursue joint efforts to prevent and fight against theft, clandestine excavations, illicit import and export of cultural property. They reaffirm their full support for the ALIPH foundation for the protection of heritage in conflict zones.

29. France and China reaffirm the importance they attach to cooperation on teaching each other's language, through which friendship and mutual understanding are forged. They will work for the renewal of the linguistic cooperation agreement between the two governments signed in June 2015, will encourage the development of the teaching of the two languages in the schools of the two parties and the multiplication of bilingual courses and will promote exchanges and training of language teachers.
30. France and China reiterate their commitment to strengthening cooperation in higher education and vocational training. They will encourage the development of partnerships between higher education establishments, such as Franco-Chinese institutes, and together promote the reciprocal resumption of student and teacher mobility. They will also facilitate exchanges between schools. To this end, the two parties shall establish a facilitated procedure for obtaining visas for these groups. The two parties will organize a new session of the joint Franco-Chinese commission on education as soon as possible. 

31. The two Heads of State agree that the next Joint Franco-Chinese Commission on science and technology will be held as soon as possible to define the main orientations of bilateral scientific cooperation but also of the "Joint Franco-Chinese Center China for Carbon Neutrality”, intended to promote scientific and technological cooperation in the field of carbon neutrality. France and China want to promote exchanges of researchers, in particular through the Franco-Chinese scientific partnership program (the Hubert Curien – Cai Yuanpei partnership). The two parties also intend to continue the implementation of the “Young Talents France-China” program in order to strengthen exchanges between young researchers from the two countries and promote cooperation in priority areas and the development of joint research activities.
32. In view of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024, the two Heads of State wish to make sport an important element of the bilateral relationship, particularly in terms of exchanges of young athletes, development of sports infrastructure and sharing expertise in the sports industry.

ADDRESSING GLOBAL CHALLENGES TOGETHER
33. In the context of food crises that have affected 323 million people in 2022 according to the United Nations, the two parties undertake to preserve market stability, to avoid unjustified export restrictions on inputs and agricultural products and smoothing global food supply chains, starting with the facilitation of grain and fertilizer exports. Both parties are working to achieve these goals, including through the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) initiative and China's Global Food Security Initiative.

34. France and China agreed on the importance of increasing the support provided to the countries most affected by the food crisis, including their African partners, to build resilient and sustainable food systems. The two parties therefore intend to promote international cooperation against food loss and waste and for local production. In this perspective, they provide joint support to the organizations competent to resolve the problem of food insecurity, in particular the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD ), and the World Food Program (WFP) as well as financial institutions and multilateral and bilateral donors.

35. France and China underscore their support for the WTO-centric and rules-based multilateral trading system, commit to building a free, open, transparent, inclusive and non-discriminatory trade and investment environment, support the necessary reform of the WTO and support that the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference achieves positive results.
36. France and China intend to cooperate to remedy the difficulties of access to financing in developing and emerging economies and to encourage an acceleration of their energy and climate transition while supporting their sustainable development. China will participate in the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in Paris in June 2023. France will participate in the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

37. The two countries agree to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the G20 in order for the G20 to play its role as the major forum for global economic cooperation and to work, in accordance with the commitments made by the leaders at the Bali Summit, to make advancing the reform of the international monetary and financial system.
38. France and China support, in a context of weakening developing countries, the implementation of the Common Framework for Debt Treatments adopted by the G20 and the Paris Club, which they joined in November 2020. Both parties reiterate their commitment to the implementation of the common framework in a timely, predictable, orderly and coordinated manner, as well as their support for the debt agenda adopted at the meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20 in February 2023.

39. Both sides appreciate that the G20 Bali Summit welcomed the voluntary Special Drawing Rights (SDR) earmarking commitments and call on G20 Member States and willing States to increase their mobilization, with an increase in the effort of 30% of SDRs mobilized for the G20 countries, in order to quickly reach the objective of 100 billion US dollars adopted at the G20 Summit in Rome.

40. The climate, biodiversity and the fight against land degradation are among the priorities shared by France and China. The two countries are committed to pursuing a high level of ambition in line with the Beijing Call launched in November 2019 and within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Agreement. of Paris, as well as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (hereinafter referred to as the "Kunming-Montreal Framework"), the adoption of which by both parties is welcomed by the second part of the Convention on Biological Diversity ( COP15). China, assuming the presidency of COP15 for the next two years, intends to work actively with France for the full and effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Framework. France and China welcome the active contribution of the Kunming Fund and the facility that will be created under the Global Environment Facility to finance biodiversity. Both countries welcome the work presented at the One Forest Summit in Libreville.

41. France and China undertake to communicate their revised national strategies and action plans aligned with the global biodiversity framework by COP16. China will favorably consider joining the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People. Both countries contribute to the goal of reducing subsidies harmful to biodiversity by US$500 billion per year.
42. France and China reaffirm their respective commitments to climate neutrality/carbon neutrality. France commits to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. China commits to peak CO2 emissions by 2030 and strives to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Both countries will adopt policies and measures to implement their nationally determined contribution targets aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

43. Both parties highly appreciate the achievements made at COP27 on climate change, and commit to maintaining close exchanges and coordination on the way to COP28, so that the first global assessment of the Paris Agreement is a success and that encouraging progress is made on topics such as mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and the means of implementation.
44. France and China support the promotion and development of financing contributing to the ecological transition. They encourage their financial sectors (including banks, insurers, managers and asset owners) to align their activities with the objectives of climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as those of biodiversity conservation, circular economy, pollution management, control and reduction or blue finance. France and China are also encouraging exchanges between development agencies and banks, central banks, regulators and financial authorities on green and sustainable finance, with the aim of sharing their experiences and promoting the implementation and the improvement of standards, including in the standardization of extra-financial information. They are committed to supporting the development of sustain

45. France and China, aware of the significant share of the building sector in their greenhouse gas emissions, are actively studying membership in the Buildings breakthrough initiative. The two countries are strengthening their cooperation to promote the reduction of energy consumption and the decarbonization of buildings and to promote sustainable urban development.
46. France and China are mobilizing for the protection of the ocean. The two countries welcome the finalization by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) of a text aimed at ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas not outside national jurisdiction and continue to strengthen their exchanges and coordination as part of the monitoring process for this text. The two Heads of State reaffirm that the two parties will work to promote the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources in accordance with the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and continue discussions on the establishment marine protected areas in Antarctica.

France and China are committed to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and have created a national committee, respectively in 2021 and 2022, to highlight the importance of knowledge to better protect oceans. They recognize the importance of combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
47. France and China are mobilizing for the success of the United Nations Conference on the Oceans in 2025 co-chaired by France and Costa Rica. The Chinese side will examine the roadmap proposed by the French side and linking their respective presidencies of the Kunming COP15 on biodiversity and the third United Nations Conference on the Oceans to be held in Nice in 2025.

48. France and China fight against pollution generated by plastics (including microplastics), support and engage in the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee mandated by resolutions 5/14 adopted at the summarized fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) , are working towards the adoption of an international legally binding instrument.
49. France and China are committed to protecting and sustainably managing forest ecosystems, supporting scientific research on more sustainable value chains, and combating illegal logging and associated trade. They intend to advance cooperation on nature conservation as well as the protection, restoration and sustainable use of the steppe. France and China are delighted in this context with the active cooperation between the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) of China.

50. France and China will work together for a fairer energy transition in developing countries through just energy transition partnerships and other tools.
51. France and China stress the importance, for the development of each country, of the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Source: Elysee, French Presidency