UPDATE - Top Chinese, French diplomats hold high-level dialogue in Beijing

UPDATES WITH DETAILS ON HIGH-LEVEL MEETING BETWEEN CHINA, FRANCE; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, INTRO; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – China and France on Friday held a high-level bilateral dialogue led by their top diplomats in Beijing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his visiting French counterpart Catherine Colonna co-hosted China-France High-Level Dialogue Mechanism on people-to-people exchanges.

Colonna, who is on a two-day official trip to China since Thursday, also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang early on Friday.

After meeting Li, she said the two sides “work to find answers to global challenges, climate change, and biodiversity,” while Beijing and Paris also look to “deepen and rebalance their economic relationship.”

Economic data shows the annual trade between France and China hovers around $81 billion.

The Beijing trip by Colonna, who is also Paris’ EU affairs minister, comes as the European bloc has initiated an anti-subsidy probe into imports of electric vehicles from China.

The two sides also discussed preparations for the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year.

Wang and Colonna also attended the inauguration of China-France carbon neutrality center in Beijing.

France is among five nations granted 15-day visa-free entry to China, beginning next month to run for one year.

"Excellent news announced during my visit by my counterpart Wang Yi," Colonna said on X, as she sat with her Chinese counterpart for the meeting.

Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain are other EU members granted 15-day visa-free entry to China. Malaysia is the only nation outside Europe which will also enjoy the visa-waiver for two-week trip to China.