Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye was interviewed by the Global Times: As long as China and the EU work together, the "new Cold War" will not be fought

Sixty years ago, on January 27, 1964, Xinhua News Agency and Agence France-Presse simultaneously issued a joint communiqué, and since then, France has become the first Western power to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Looking back on the past, what enlightenment does Sino-French relations have for the West to develop relations with China? Looking to the future, against the background of the current geopolitical turmoil, how can China and France cooperate to jointly safeguard global security? A reporter from the "Global Times" recently interviewed Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye on these issues. He told reporters that over the past 60 years, the reason why Sino-French relations have always been at the forefront of China's relations with Western powers is that both sides have "the original intention of independence, the ambition to forge ahead, and the tolerance of equality and mutual learning." At the same time, Lu Shaye said that France is the core power of the European Union, and China-France relations are an important link and a powerful engine for China-EU relations.

2024 will surely be a "big year" in the history of people-to-people exchanges between China and France

Global Times: January 27, 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. In your opinion, what important achievements have been made in Sino-French relations over the past 60 years, and what are your expectations for the future development of Sino-French relations?

Lu Shaye: Sixty years ago, China and France broke the Cold War barrier and made the historic decision to establish diplomatic relations. Over the past 60 years, the two sides have continuously consolidated political mutual trust, achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, science and technology, and people-to-people relations, and made communication and coordination in international affairs more effective, bringing tangible benefits to the people of the two countries and injecting a steady stream of stability and positive energy into the world. At present, the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership adheres to the general direction of stability, reciprocity, pioneering and upward development, especially since the transition of China's epidemic prevention and control, with many highlights of high-level exchanges, successive institutional dialogues, and comprehensive resumption of exchanges in various fields.

This year, China-France relations will celebrate their 60th anniversary. Standing at a new historical starting point, China is ready to work with France to continue its traditions and face the future, and take the opportunity of the series of activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the Year of Culture and Tourism to strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and inject richer connotations of the times into China-France relations.

Global Times: What enlightenment do you think China-France relations can provide for other Western countries to develop relations with China?

Lu Shaye: Over the past 60 years, China-France relations have been strategic, global and epochal, and have always been at the forefront of China's relations with major Western countries.

The first is the original intention of independence. Whether it is breaking through the ice of the Cold War 60 years ago, or resolutely resisting the countercurrent of unilateralism, bloc politics and "decoupling and breaking chains" 60 years later, the fine tradition of the Chinese nation and the French nation in pursuing independence and self-determination has always remained unchanged.

The second is the ambition to forge ahead. From taking the lead in establishing a comprehensive partnership to opening a strategic dialogue, from taking the lead in setting up cultural centers to holding cultural years in each other, from opening the first civil aviation route between China and the West to carrying out civil nuclear energy cooperation at the earliest time to jointly explore third-party markets, China and France have bravely taken the lead and created a number of "firsts".

The third is the inclusiveness of equality and mutual learning. The differences in social systems, development stages, histories and cultures between China and France have not hindered mutual understanding and intersection, but have become an important driving force for mutual respect and mutual learning and mutually beneficial cooperation, and are also in line with the trend of the times in multilateralism and a multipolar world.

Global Times: We noted that China and France agreed to take the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the Year of Culture and Tourism as an opportunity to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries to unleash greater vitality and achieve more results. What do you think of the importance of people-to-people exchanges between China and France, and what are the plans for strengthening Sino-French cooperation in the field of people-to-people exchanges in 2024?

Lu Shaye: The friendship between the countries lies in the people-to-people relationship, and the people-to-people relationship lies in the heart-to-heart connection. China and France respect each other, understand and appreciate each other, and people-to-people exchanges play an irreplaceable role in this.

In November last year, the sixth meeting of the China-France High-level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism was held, during which the foreign ministers of the two countries witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on education and scientific research, cultural tourism, health and other fields, and released the list of China-France high-quality people-to-people exchange activities in 2024. We are pleased to see that Notre Dame Cathedral and the Temple of Heaven ice sculptures will join hands at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, the Yuyuan Lantern Festival in France will be beautiful, and the Jingdezhen Ceramic Culture Exhibition will soon set off a "China fever" at the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris. In addition, many people-to-people friendship associations have taken action, local cooperation has quickly picked up, and the strangeness, doubts, and estrangements accumulated during the epidemic have all dissipated in the steaming face-to-face exchanges.

With the trial implementation of the short-term visa-free policy for France and the visa facilitation measures introduced by France to the mainland, Sino-French tourism exchanges will be smoother, and 2024 will surely become a "big year" in the history of Sino-French people-to-people exchanges.

Improving China-France relations will play a key guiding role in China-EU relations

Global Times: What role do you think China-France relations play in China-EU relations, and how do you see the role of China and France in strengthening China-EU cooperation?

Lu Shaye: France is a core power of the European Union, and China-France relations are an important link and a powerful engine for China-EU relations. If China-France relations are done well, they will play a key guiding role in China-EU relations.

China and the EU share a wide range of common interests, cooperation outweighs competition, and consensus outweighs differences. China-EU relations are not targeted, dependent on, or controlled by any third party. If China and the EU join hands, a "new Cold War" will not be fought.

We hope that France will continue to play an active role within the EU, promote the European side to form a more independent and objective understanding of China, pursue a pragmatic and positive China policy, expand cooperation with China, resist the negative tendencies of "de-risking" and "reducing dependence", and ensure the healthy and stable development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.

Global Times: In the face of increasingly prominent global security and development challenges, in what areas can China and France further strengthen cooperation and coordination?

Lu Shaye: Development is the foundation of security, and security is the premise of development. At present, the international situation is chaotic and intertwined, geopolitical tensions are intensifying, the downward pressure on the world economy is increasing, and a series of development issues and security issues are linked and resonant. The more severe the situation, the more we are called upon to stand at the height of the future of all mankind and make responsible choices.

China and France should adhere to the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in global governance, jointly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practice true multilateralism, and promote the development of an equal, orderly and multipolar world. It is necessary to adhere to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, take a clear-cut stand against hegemonism and unilateralism, and explore and promote the political settlement of regional hotspot issues such as the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It is necessary to promote economic globalization in a more open, inclusive, inclusive and balanced direction, resist the tendency of pan-politicization and pan-security, deepen cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, green and digital, expand tripartite and multi-party cooperation, and maintain the stability and resilience of industrial and supply chains between China and France, China and the EU, and even the world.

China's diplomacy will enter a new stage of greater achievements

Global Times: On December 27-28, 2023, the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference was held in Beijing. As a diplomat who has been fighting on the front line of diplomacy for a long time, what important signals do you think this meeting will send to the future of foreign affairs?

Lu Shaye: Not long ago, the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference was successfully convened, and General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech, comprehensively summarizing the 10 historic achievements of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, systematically summarizing six valuable experiences, profoundly expounding the international environment and historical mission facing foreign affairs in the new journey, and making comprehensive arrangements for foreign affairs in the coming period. The meeting reviewed the glory of the diplomacy of major powers over the past 10 years and sounded the clarion call for a new departure.

On the new journey, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will enter a new stage in which we can do more. The general direction of human development and progress will not change, the general logic of the tortuous progress of world history will not change, and the general trend of the international community sharing a common destiny will not change. We are full of historical confidence in this. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, we will closely focus on the central tasks of the Party and the country, and focus on the main line of building a community with a shared future for mankind, seek progress while maintaining stability, uphold integrity and innovation, open up a new realm of China's diplomatic theory and practice, shape a new pattern of relations between China and the world, and raise China's international influence, charisma and shaping power to a new height.

Global Times: How do you understand the need to maintain a "fighting spirit" in foreign affairs work?

Lu Shaye: "Not afraid of sacrifice and heroic struggle" is an important connotation of the great spirit of party building, and the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China mentioned "struggle" 22 times. The Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference summed up the valuable experience accumulated in the practice of diplomacy in the new era, one of which is that it is necessary to carry forward the spirit of struggle, resolutely oppose all power politics and bullying behaviors, and vigorously defend national interests and national dignity.

Having the courage to struggle and being good at struggle is a fine tradition of New China's diplomacy. From the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China to resist US aggression and aid Korea to defend the country, to withstand the pressure of the so-called "sanctions" from the West during the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the 80s and 90s of the last century to ensure that the red flag of socialism with Chinese characteristics did not fall, to actively handle NATO air strikes on the mainland embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, to deal with Sino-US economic and trade frictions, and to carry out an all-round anti-intervention struggle on Hong Kong-related issues, China's diplomacy has always taken a clear-cut stand to safeguard national interests and national dignity.

Embassies and consulates stationed abroad are located on the front line of foreign exchanges and struggles, and we must strengthen our confidence and confidence, maintain strategic sobriety, establish a firm bottom-line thinking, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests with a posture of preparing for war and a firm will that defies power.

(Global Times reporter Bai Yunyi, Chen Qingqing)