BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said Tuesday that China is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with France, strengthen strategic coordination, and jointly uphold genuine multilateralism.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks when having a phone conversation with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French President, at the latter's request.

During the phone conversation, Wang requested Bonne to convey Chinese President Xi Jinping's greetings to French President Emmanuel Macron.

The current international situation is increasingly complex and intertwined, with significant rises in uncertainty and instability, said Wang.

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II, Wang said that it is essential for China and France, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and comprehensive strategic partners, to enhance strategic communication at this significant historical juncture.

Wang said that China is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with France, strengthen strategic coordination, jointly uphold genuine multilateralism, uphold the status of the United Nations, protect the international trade order, ensure the stability of global industrial and supply chains, oppose unipolar hegemony, reject placing one country's self-interest above the common interests of all nations, and prevent the world from returning to the law of the jungle.

In the current situation, it is of important and positive significance for China and Europe to resolve specific economic and trade frictions through consultation. China hopes that France will work with China to send a positive signal of unity and cooperation and promote the healthy and stable development of China-France and China-Europe relations, noted Wang.

Bonne requested Wang to convey Macron's greetings to Xi. He said that France attaches great importance to and cherishes the friendship and mutual trust between France and China. Under the current complex international situation in particular, France looks forward to maintaining high-level exchanges and close strategic communication with China to jointly resist camp confrontation.

Bonne said that France opposes trade wars and tariff wars, and is willing to properly resolve economic and trade frictions through consultations with China, promote balanced and sustainable development of economic and trade relations between France and China and also between Europe and China, and maintain the international economic and trade system based on World Trade Organization's rules.

The two sides exchanged in-depth views on the Ukraine issue.

Bonne briefed Wang on the position of the French side, saying that France is willing to strengthen coordination with China and expects China to play an important role in reaching a just, stable and sustainable peace agreement on Ukraine.

Wang said that China has advocated resolving the crisis through dialogue and negotiation from the very beginning, and welcomes all efforts towards a ceasefire, which is a necessary step towards peace. At the same time, this process should respect the will of the parties concerned, should not be imposed by a third party, and should not only serve the interests of any one country.

China supports the achievement of a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement acceptable to all parties concerned, and believes that all parties and stakeholders should participate in the peace talks process in due course.

He also noted that China's position has been recognized and supported by the parties concerned and most other countries, and China is ready to work with all parties, including Europe, to continue to make efforts for peace.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Iranian nuclear issue.