Spokesman on foreign minister's upcoming France trip

China expects to consolidate political mutual trust and strengthen practical cooperation with the French side through Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

Guo made the remarks in response to a media query about Wang's scheduled visit to France.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will pay a visit to the EU headquarters, Germany and France from June 30 to July 6.

"During Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit to France, he will hold talks with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and they will co-chair another meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges. Foreign Minister Wang Yi will exchange views with the French side on the international landscape, China-France relations and China-EU relations, take stock of and plan for China-France people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation, and have in-depth communication on international and regional issues of mutual interest," said Guo.

"Not long ago, President Xi Jinping talked to President Macron on the phone and the two leaders reached important common understandings on enhancing China-France strategic communication, jointly defending multilateralism and promoting world peace and stability, charting the course for future development of China-France relations. Through the visit, China looks forward to working with France to implement the common understandings between the two presidents, enhance political mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation, work for closer communication and coordination on international affairs, keep the positive momentum of China-France people-to-people and cultural exchanges, promote mutual learning between civilizations and inject new impetus to world peace, development, openness and inclusiveness," said Guo.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 20 pips to 7.0108 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.