On October 31, 2007, the first China-France consultation on development issue was held in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

Yang said at the ceremony that both China and France are active exponents and participants in international development and cooperation and share the same or similar views on strengthening international development and cooperation. Yang suggested that both sides conduct exchanges and dialogue on relevant major global issues, which is conducive to enhancing the level of strategic dialogue between both sides, to enriching China-France comprehensive strategic partnership and to pushing for North-South dialogue and cooperation. He said China hopes to strengthen coordination and cooperation with France on major development issues, in a bid to promote the building of a lasting equitable, mutual-beneficial and win-win global development partnership.

Kouchner said France attaches importance to China's important role in the area of international development and cooperation and is ready to conduct consultations with China based on the spirit of mutual trust and partnership to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

Wu Hailong, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the head of Directorate General for International Co-operation and Development of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-chaired the consultation, which was attended by representatives from relevant departments of the two countries.

The two sides exchanged views on such issues as financing for development and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.