On December 21, 2009, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with French Prime Minister Francois Fillon at the Great Hall of the People. Both sides agreed to continue advancing China-France comprehensive strategic partnership on the basis of mutual respect and equality.

Hailing the relationship between China and France, both as influential nations, Wen said it had exerted important influence on international political situation and brought great benefits for the two nations and the two peoples. As currently the world situation was witnessing great development, profound changes and broad adjustment, China-France ties should cement its stability, maintain its comprehensiveness and strengthen its strategic nature, Wen noted. He said the two sides should take care of each other's core interests and major concerns in an earnest manner, increase mutual political trust, and push forward the bilateral ties to move in the right direction for healthy and stable development.

"We will expand exchanges with France at various levels, increase strategic dialogue and coordination, push forward the world multi-polarization and sustainable development and make unswerving efforts to build a just and reasonable new international political and economic order," Wen said.

"We should take the opportunities of tackling the international financial crisis, climate change, energy security and other global challenges, and be innovative in thinking and deepen cooperation to advance bilateral economic and trade relations to a new level," Wen told Fillon. First, both sides should follow the opening and win-win principles, oppose trade protectionism, and take effective measures to help bilateral trade resume growth at an early date. Second, the two nations should increase cooperation in major projects concerning such sectors as nuclear energy, aviation and transport. Third, environmental protection, new energy and green economy should be fostered into new growth momentum in bilateral cooperation. Fourth, both sides should promote expansion of mutual investment and support to exchanges and cooperation between small and medium sized enterprises so as to inject new vitality into bilateral economic and trade ties. "China is also ready to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges with France to expand the foundation of public support for bilateral friendship," Wen said.

Wen said China attached great importance to the European Union and always regarded China-EU ties as one of its most important foreign relations. Wen hoped France would continue playing a positive role in persuading all EU member states into agreements on lifting arms embargo against China and recognizing China's status of full market economy. "This is conducive to China-France and China-EU ties," Wen noted.

Fillon said he agreed with Wen's proposals on the development of bilateral relationship, which was a unique strategic partnership and the friendship between both peoples enjoyed a long history. Since General Charles de Gaulle made a far-sighted decision to acknowledge the New China more than 40 years ago, the France-China ties had achieved remarkable growth, with increasing all-dimensional cooperation and growing friendship between the two peoples. Fillon hoped the two nations should continue their efforts, based on mutual respect and equality, to promote cooperation in nuclear energy, aviation, transport and culture. France and China should work together to promote dialogue between countries which were different in culture and system, in a bid to build a multi-polar world, Fillon said.

Fillon spoke highly of the successful 12th China-European Union summit. With the establishment of new EU institutions, the EU-China relations would achieve more stable growth, Fillon said. After producing an accord on climate change at the Copenhagen conference, all parties should be forward-looking and respect and fulfill the accord to jointly cope with climate change, and also promote economic growth and human progress, he noted.

Following the talks, the two leaders attended a signing ceremony of a number of cooperation agreements concerning science and technology, information, water conservancy, culture, finance, nuclear energy and aviation.

Prior to the talks, Premier Wen held a welcome ceremony for Fillon at the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of Jiusan Society Shao Hong, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Li Yizhong, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, Vice Chairman Zhu Zhixin of the National Development and Reform Commission and Chinese Ambassador to France Kong Quan attended the welcome ceremony.