France counting on 'joint efforts' with China to resolve Gaza, Ukraine conflicts

France's top diplomat called on Beijing Friday to be vigilant against China providing any direct or indirect support to Russia in its war on Ukraine. 

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna arrives for a meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing on November 24, 2023. AFP - PEDRO PARDO

Catherine Colonna and her counterpart Wang Yi also discussed joint efforts to avoid escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

"We want to have an in-depth dialogue with China on global issues, of course, but also on major crises," Colonna told a press conference in Beijing after meeting with Wang.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met on Friday with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna in Beijing https://t.co/5XovNbv8CG pic.twitter.com/f4JP4Zljn5

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) November 24, 2023

She said France was "counting on the vigilance" of Chinese authorities to ensure nothing in China "contributes directly or indirectly to Russia's illegal war effort".

Wang said China maintained "normal and friendly relations" with Russia and Iran, but also with many other countries.

"In handling international and regional affairs, China has always maintained an objective and impartial position, always upheld the basic norms of international relations, has always resolved disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation, and insisted on maintaining world peace and stability," he said.

Growing weight

Colonna's talks in Beijing came the same day that a truce between Israel and Hamas took effect, with the militant group set to release a first group of 13 hostages later Friday, and a total of 50 over four days.

Paris has said that the conflict in the Middle East is an important topic on the agenda for Colonna and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

"China is an actor with growing weight in the region" due to its "strong relationship" with Iran, a French diplomatic source said this week.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, right, and French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. AP - Jade Gao

"The first thing we expect from China in this conflict is to join its efforts with ours to ensure that we avoid any regional escalation," they added.

Beijing has this year sought to play a greater role in the Middle East, facilitating a historic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and sending an envoy to the region to push for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and generally seems to be more willing to deal with the US and the EU.

Colonna was also received by Premier Li Qiang at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, saying China and France shared "global responsibilities" as permanent members of the Security Council.

The two must "strive to find answers to major challenges, in particular the challenges of climate, biodiversity and anything that can ease tensions in the world", she said.

Li, in turn, noted a "positive trend of Sino-French cooperation on all fronts".

"This close cooperation between China and France has also injected a lot of positive energy and provided more certainty to the uncertain world today," he added.

Action plan

Colonna and Wang also held a bilateral dialogue at Peking University earlier in the day aimed at enhancing cooperation on everything from climate to education.

In 2019, during a visit of President Emmanuel Macron to China, Beijing and Paris agreed on an "action plan for Franco-Chinese relations" that would include discussions on climate change, promoting trade and investment.

This increased cooperation will touch on fields such as aviation, astronomy, nuclear energy, culture (exchange of exhibitions like "China in Versailles") and sports, with Beijing and Paris organising the winter- and summer Olympics in 2022 and 2024 respectively.

In another sign of softening ties with the EU, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on 24 November announced that passport holders of five EU countries, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, as well as Malaysia, would be able to enter China for 15 days without visa, for a period of one year starting on 1 December.  

Les Français se rendant en #Chine pour moins de 15 jours seront exemptés de visa.

Une excellente nouvelle annoncée à l'occasion de ma visite par mon homologue Wang Yi ! pic.twitter.com/O1KqeI0gq9

— Catherine Colonna (@MinColonna) November 24, 2023

Diplomatic ties

One key aim of the visit was to pave the way for activities marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between France and the People's Republic of China early next year.

France and China established ties on 27 January 1964, in a time that both Beijing found common ground in Paris with then French President Charles de Gaulle's reluctance to follow Washington.

Chinese Ambassador in France, Huang Chen (L) meets President Charles De Gaulle (C) and Foreign minister Maurice Couve de Murville to present his credentials on, June 06, 1964, at the Elysee Palace in Paris. © STRINGER / AFP

France was one of the first Western countries that shifted recognition from the Taiwan-based "Republic of China" ruled by the Nationalist Kuomintang to the Communist government in Beijing, after the UK, Switzerland and the Scandinavians in 1950.