Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice on March 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

NICE, France, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed the importance of maintaining a sound China-France relationship to both countries' long-term development and its potential impact on the world.

Xi, who is paying a state visit to France, made the remarks when meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice.

Recalling the history of friendly exchanges between China and France, Xi noted that France is the first major Western country to establish official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC).

France, he added, also is the first country to form a strategic partnership and conduct strategic dialogue with China and the first to carry out civilian nuclear-energy cooperation with China.

He pointed to the special significance of his visit, which came at a special year that marks both the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations.

Xi spoke of the things that remain unchanged in the face of profound changes in the international situation and bilateral relations.

He said the importance China attaches to its relations with France has not changed. China has always regarded France as a priority partner of cooperation, and the two peoples keep a special friendship, he added.

"This is a valuable asset that we must inherit and carry forward to keep China-France relations at the forefront of the times," Xi said.

Xi went on to say that the common pursuit for peace, development, fairness and justice has not changed.

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