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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Francois Hollande in Paris in November 2015. Hollande praised ties with China and lauded Xi’s globalization efforts [Image: Élysée.fr]
He alluded to the rise of Chinese visitors and tourists to France in recent years.
He said that ties had moved forward significantly in 2016 particularly in the sector of nuclear cooperation.
Hollande said he was also particularly reassured by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s position on globalization and free trade.
Xi was the first Chinese leader to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this past January.
The Chinese government said Xi’s attendance emphasizes Beijing’s support for multilateralism – a core concept of its founding ideal for the BRICS bloc – global cooperation and free trade, local media reported.
“We should commit ourselves to growing an open global economy to share opportunities and interests through opening-up and achieve win-win outcomes. One should not just retreat to the harbor when encountering a storm, for this will never get us to the other shore of the ocean,” Xi said at Davos.
International media contrasted his position with that of US President Donald Trump who has been retreating from global treaties and appears increasingly protectionist in his economic trade policies.
“We must redouble efforts to develop global connectivity to enable all countries to achieve inter-connected growth and share prosperity. We must remain committed to developing global free trade and investment, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation through opening-up and say no to protectionism,” Xi reiterated.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
