BEIJING — Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua held a phone conversation on April 30 with French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, discussing bilateral cooperation on epidemic prevention and economic development.

Hu, who leads the Chinese delegation to China-France High-Level Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD), said that since the beginning of this year, President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron have spoken by phone for three times and reached important consensus on jointly dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and developing China-France relations.

The Chinese side stands ready to work with the French side to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, so as to push the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership to keep moving forward, Hu said.

Noting that France is proactively responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hu stressed that China is willing to provide support within its capabilities and strive to increase medical supplies.

It is hoped that the two sides will further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and other fields, as well as under the framework of the Group of Twenty, to create an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, Hu said.

For his part, Le Maire, who also serves as the leader of the French delegation to the economic and financial dialogue, expressed gratitude for China's support and assistance, saying that the French side is willing to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including anti-epidemic, energy, agriculture and customs clearance, through such channels as the China-France High-Level EFD to push for new development in France-China relations.