PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2023) French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Thursday that she met with her Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang, on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in New Delhi to discuss bilateral economic ties and the situation in Ukraine.
"The first meeting with my new Chinese counterpart. We touched upon the resumption of humanitarian exchange, our economic relations, the summit on a new global financial pact that will take place in Paris in June as well as the issues of biodiversity and oceans," Colonna tweeted.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron said that he would go to China in early April to discuss the Ukrainian crisis and urge Beijing to "put pressure" on Moscow on the back of a newly-released Chinese peace plan for Ukraine.
On February 24, China released a 12-point document titled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis," promoting, among other things, respect of the sovereignty of all countries, the cessation of hostilities and the resumption of peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.
In mid-February, Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi visited Paris and was personally received by Macron. At the meeting, Wang noted that Beijing was firmly committed to an objective and fair position on the Ukrainian issue and was always eager to contribute to reconciliation and peace talks.
