PARIS,May7(Xinhua)--ChinesePresidentXiJinpingonMondayunderscoredtheimportanceofbolsteringcooperativetiesbetweenChinaandFranceaswellastheEuropeanUnion(EU),particularlyamidescalatingprotectionismandragingconflictsinUkraineandGaza.Xi,whoisonasix-daytriptoFrance,SerbiaandHungarythroughFriday,saidChina-EUcooperationis"complementaryandmutuallybeneficial"inessenceduringatrilateralmeetingherewithFrenchPresidentEmmanuelMacronandEuropeanCommissionPresidentUrsulavonderLeyen.Thetwosideshaveextensivecommoninterestsandbroadspaceforcooperationingreenanddigitaltransition,Xisaid,notingitis"necessary"forthemtoproperlyaddresseconomicandtradefrictionsthroughdialogueandconsultation,andaccommodateeachother'slegitimateconcerns."TheEUisapillaroftheglobaleconomyanditsmembersaresomeofChina'slargesttradingpartners,"saidKeithBennett,aninternationalrelationsconsultantinLondon."Therefore,whetherfromthestandpointofbilateraleconomicandpoliticalrelations,worldpeaceandsecurity,ormajor-countrydiplomacy,China-Europerelationsareakeypartoftheglobalorder,"saidBennett.DespiteskepticismfromsomequartersinEuropeaboutthebenefitsoftradeandeconomiccooperationwithChina,empiricalevidencehighlightsthefruitfulresultsofChina-EUeconomicandtradecooperationinthepastdecades.OfficialdatashowthattheEUstandsasChina'ssecond-largesttradingpartner,rankinghighinbothimportsandexports.Likewise,ChinaistheEU'ssecond-largesttradingpartner,primarysourceofimports,andthird-largestexportdestination.Meanwhile,ChineseandEuropeanenterprisescontinuetobeupbeatabouteachother'smarkets,asstatisticsshowedthatthestockoftwo-wayinvestmenthasexceeded250billionU.S.dollars."IbelievethattheeconomiccooperationbetweenEuropeandChinaissomethingveryimportant.Chinaisstrong,andthatiswhyEuropehastodevelopitselfandbestrongalso,"Marc-AntoineJamet,secretarygeneraloftheLVMHgroup,toldXinhuaonMondaybeforetheclosingceremonyoftheSixthMeetingoftheChina-FranceBusinessCouncil.Whenaddressingtheentrepreneursattheclosingceremony,XiurgedtheEUtojoinChinato"opposeattemptstoturnbusinessrelationsintopolitical,ideologicalorsecurityissues.""WeshouldturnChinaandEuropeintoeachother'skeypartnersforbusinesscooperation,prioritypartnersforcooperationinscienceandtechnology,andtrustworthypartnersforcooperationinindustrialandsupplychains,"Xisaid.HisremarkscameasWashingtonismaneuveringtorallyitsalliesintheWestto"de-risk"fromChina,andslowdownthecountry'shigh-techprogress,alongsideescalatingprotectionistrhetoricconcerningtheso-called"Chineseovercapacity"incleanenergysectors.InthetrilateralmeetingwithFrenchandEUleaders,Xirejectedtheclaimof"China'sovercapacity"fromtheperspectiveofcomparativeadvantageandinlightofglobaldemand."China'snewenergyindustryhasmaderealprogressinopencompetitionandrepresentsadvancedproductioncapacity.Itnotonlyincreasesglobalsupplyandalleviatesthepressureofglobalinflation,butalsocontributessignificantlytoglobalclimateresponseandgreentransition,"Xisaid.AmidcomplaintsfromsomeWesternpoliticiansaboutChina'selectricvehiclesdisrupting"globalprices,"evenprominentU.S.mediaoutletslikeBloomberghavenotedthattheprimaryconcernforadvancedeconomiesrevolvesaroundtheefficiencyandcompetitivenessofChineseelectriccarmakers.Thisencompassesfactorssuchastheirtechnologicalexpertiseandmoderntransportationinfrastructure.Astothe"overcapacityproblem,"studieshaveshownthatthecleanenergysectorfacessignificantchallengesinmeetingglobaldemand.Attheendof2023,theInternationalRenewableEnergyAgencyprojectedthatinordertokeeptheParisAgreementtargetsalive,globalrenewablepowercapacitymustgrowbyaround1,000GWayearthrough2030.In2023,ayearwitharecord-highcapacityaddition,theworldhadanincreaseofaround507GW,halfofwhatwasneededtokeepthe1.5-degreetargetwithinreach,accordingtotheInternationalEnergyAgency'sRenewables2023report."Oncleanenergy,Chinaisapartnerforus,"LucRemont,chairmanandCEOoftheFrenchnationalelectricitycompanyEDF,toldXinhuabeforeMonday'sclosingceremonyoftheSixthMeetingoftheChina-FranceBusinessCouncil."TheChinesecleanenergyindustryiswelcomedinEuropetoexpanditscapacitieswithinEuropeaswelltoservetheEuropeanmarket.Simultaneously,EuropeanindustriesareactivelyinvestinginChinatobolstercapacitieswithinthecountry,"hesaid.Xi'stripishisfirstvisittoEuropeinnearlyfiveyears,andcoincideswiththe60thanniversaryoftheestablishmentofdiplomatictiesbetweenChinaandFrance.Thetwosidesshouldstaycommittedtothespiritthatguidedtheestablishmentoftheirdiplomaticties,namely,independence,mutualunderstanding,long-termvisionandmutualbenefit,andenrichitwithnewfeaturesofthenewera,XisaidduringtalkswithMacronatElyseePalace.Astheworldgoesthroughtransformationandturbulencenotseeninacentury,ChinaandFranceshouldupholdindependenceandjointlypreventa"newColdWar"orblocconfrontation,Xisaid."ThefactthatFranceandChina,whoarebothpermanentmembersoftheSecurityCouncil,canworktogetherisveryimportant,giventherealitythattheworldisfacingtwoconflictsinUkraineandGaza,"saidPascalBoniface,foundingdirectoroftheFrenchInstituteforInternationalandStrategicAffairs.ChinaandFrancehavealsolongcollaboratedoncombatingclimatechangeandenvironmentaldegradation,saidBoniface,addingthatheisgladtowitnessbothsides'effortstopromoteamorepeacefulworldandstrengthenmultilateralism,whichiscurrentlyfacingsignificantchallenges.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.