Li Hongzhong, vice-chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with a delegation consisting of the French government's special representative for China affairs and former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, along with French parliamentarians, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 6, 2023. [Xinhua/Li Tao]

BEIJING -- Senior Chinese legislator Li Hongzhong met with a delegation consisting of the French government's special representative for China affairs and former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, along with French parliamentarians, in Beijing on Thursday.

Li, vice-chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that the close and enduring comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France has developed in depth under the guidance of the leaders of the two countries.

Li called on the two legislatures to continuously strengthen high-level cooperative relations, enhance friendly exchanges at various levels such as regular exchange mechanism platforms, special committees and friendship groups, and maintain close coordination and cooperation on multilateral occasions.

Echoing Li's remarks, the French side expressed its willingness to strengthen exchanges with the Chinese side and play an active role in the legislatures to promote bilateral cooperation in various fields, such as economy, culture and climate change.