China calls for dynamic balance in trade with France

China on Saturday called for stronger pragmatic cooperation with France and a dynamic balance in bilateral trade.

"China and France should deepen pragmatic cooperation in the fields of high-tech, health and urbanization, as well as on particularly big projects, and help bilateral trade move toward a dynamic balance," Vice Premier Li Keqiang said in a meeting with the French president's diplomatic advisor Paul Jean-Ortiz on Saturday.

Jean-Ortiz is leading a delegation to Beijing for the annual China-France consultations, which he and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo co-chaired on Saturday morning.

Li conveyed the greetings of Chinese President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders to French President Francois Hollande.

China and France are both important countries in the world, with extensive common interests and ground for cooperation, Li said.

"Under the circumstances of a changing international order and a sluggish global economic recovery, stronger China-France cooperation and new progress in the countries' all-around strategic partnership will go beyond the bilateral scope," Li said.

The vice premier called on the two countries to take a long-term perspective, respect each other's core interests and major concerns and expand common ground and coordination on international issues.

Li said China is glad to see the European Stability Mechanism, an international organization that provides financial assistance to eurozone members in financial difficulty, to take effect and will continue to participate in resolving the European debt issues in multiple ways.

Li expects France to exert its power within the European Union and promote the development of China-Europe relations.

Jean-Ortiz said the new French government places great importance on its relations with China and would like to expand cooperation in all fields.

Jean-Ortiz said France will take an active part in the cooperation under the EU-China framework and boost France-China and EU-China relations to a new high.