France and China affirm their responsibility to work toward constructive solutions to global security and stability threats

Paris, September 14 (KUNA) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi affirmed on Monday the shared responsibility of France and China, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, to work toward finding constructive solutions to threats facing global security and stability. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that this came during a phone call between the French minister and his Chinese counterpart. The statement added that the two ministers discussed in particular the Russian-Ukrainian war, noting that they also examined the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab strait, which are key issues for the stability and prosperity of Europe and Asia. It pointed out that the French minister recalled the Franco-British initiative to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, calling for continued exchange of views with China on this matter. He added that the two ministers discussed the prospects for bilateral relations between the two countries in the context of the French president’s state visit to China in December 2025. The statement noted that the French minister expressed his support for the ongoing dialogue on trade issues between the European Union and China, which should lead to a fundamental rebalancing of trade relations, noting that the European trade deficit is “unsustainable.” (End) M.B. / M.A. H.A.