China and France, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major independent countries, shoulder important responsibilities for upholding international peace, stability and development, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said on Friday.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, made the remarks when holding talks with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, in Beijing.

Noting that the strategic guidance of the two heads of state reflects the high level and special nature of bilateral relations, Wang said China stands ready to work with France to achieve greater progress in China-France cooperation and deliver more benefits to the two peoples.

China values the recent passage by the French Parliament of a bill to ease the return of colonial-era looted artifacts, and is ready to strengthen cooperation with France in this regard to enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and mutual learning between civilizations, Wang said.

Against the backdrop of growing turmoil in today's world, it is necessary for both countries to strengthen strategic communication and coordination, jointly address global challenges, and advance the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership to achieve sound and steady development free from various types of interference, Wang said.

He stressed that the foundation of China-France relations lies in solid political mutual trust, and the key is mutual respect for each other's core interests. He expressed the hope that France will abide by the one-China principle in practice, refrain from any form of official interaction with Taiwan authorities, and not send any wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

Indicating that China and Europe are always partners, not rivals, Wang said it is hoped that France will play a positive and constructive role in encouraging the EU to adopt a correct and rational perception of China and pursue a practical and open economic and trade policy toward China.

Bonne said France highly values the long-standing friendship and mutual trust between the two heads of state, adding that France fully understands the importance and sensitivity of the Taiwan question, adheres to the one-China policy, and will not change its position on this issue.

France looks forward to working closely with China to find constructive solutions to global crises, he said, adding that given the current international situation, it is crucial to maintain dialogue and cooperation between Europe and China.

Noting that the EU needs China and hopes to be mutually reliable partners with China, Bonne added that France is ready to play an active role in promoting EU-China dialogue and cooperation.

The two sides also had in-depth exchanges of views on issues of common concern, including global economic governance and the situation in the Middle East.

China on Friday launched a Long March-4C carrier rocket to send a satellite for high-precision greenhouse gas detection into the preset orbit.

The rocket blasted off at 12:10 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

It was the 638th flight mission of the Long March series rockets.

The chief engineer of China's domestically developed unmanned transport system HH-200 said on Sunday that the aircraft is not a remotely controlled plane, but features advanced, high-safety autonomous flight capabilities. It is expected to obtain its type certificate by 2027 and may enter commercial operation in late 2027.

In an interview with the state broadcaster CCTV News, chief designer Dong Jianhong disclosed some details about the HH-200 aircraft. The model has no cockpit, eliminating systems required for piloted aircraft such as manual control and life-support. It is currently powered by diesel, while multi-energy and new-energy variants are being developed simultaneously. With full unmanned operation, its overall cost is about one-third that of manned aircraft, said Dong.

Dong noted that the cargo system adopts a fully enclosed, windowless design, equipped with rail systems, electronic locking and cargo release systems, enabling both rapid ground loading and unloading as well as aerial delivery. Its low-profile aerodynamic configuration reduces drag and improves cruising efficiency, while graded application of multi-specification composite materials precisely balances performance, safety and weight reduction.

"The HH-200 is not a remotely controlled aircraft, it is an aircraft capable of autonomous flight," said Dong, noting that it flies autonomously, with remote control functions used only for temporary command adjustment. Its core breakthrough lies in advanced, high-safety autonomous flight capability.

Based on human pilot experience, the aircraft integrates humanoid intelligence, equipped with environmental perception and flight management systems. It incorporates more than 100 pre-set risk prevention modes, combined with ground-based safety control to ensure flight safety. In case of loss of control, it is capable of safe-zone emergency landing or self-destruction procedures, Dong noted. 

The chief engineer said that during a test flights in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the aircraft encountered extreme weather such as sudden thunderstorms and hail, successfully completing emergency avoidance and response procedures.

On April 15 this year, The HH-200 completed maiden flight in Weinan, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The flight lasted 22 minutes and fulfilled all pre-set test goals, marking a major breakthrough in China's large-scale commercial unmanned transport equipment sector, the CCTV News reported. 

The HH-200 has a standard cargo hold volume of 12 cubic meters, expandable to 18 cubic meters, with a maximum payload of 1.5 tons, a top cruising speed of 310 kilometers per hour and a maximum range of 2,360 kilometers, according to a statement from Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) to the Global Times.
超链：https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202604/1358958.shtml

The HH-200 mainly serves China's border and coastal regions as well as cross-border feeder freight routes, inland point-to-point cargo logistics, inter-island transport in Southeast Asia, and air cargo networks across countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. In the future, it can be adapted for multiple missions, including emergency rescue, forest firefighting, weather modification, aerial remote sensing, and agricultural and forestry protection. 

"My team has given it [HH-200] a nickname — 'flying truck,' which means it can operate continuously along transport routes just like trucks on the ground," said Dong.