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Chinese president arrives in Paris for state visit

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-04 21:12

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L, front) and French President Nicolas Sarkozy review the honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at Orly airport near Paris, France, Nov. 4, 2010. Hu arrived in Paris Thursday for a state visit to France. [Photo/Xinhua]

PARIS - Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Paris Thursday for his second state visit to France, aimed at promoting long-term and stable development of the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership.

Hu was welcomed at the airport by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni.

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In a statement released upon his arrival, Hu said he was glad to come to France again for a state visit at the invitation of Sarkozy.

Hu said, since the two countries established diplomatic ties 46 years ago, exchanges and cooperation between China and France had achieved rich results in the areas of politics, the economy, trade, education, science, technology and culture due to joint efforts of both sides.

He said China-France cooperation had brought about substantial benefits to the people of the two countries and made a positive contribution to promoting peace and development of the world.

"Under the current international situation that is undergoing profound and complicated changes, China and France share broad common interests and huge potential for cooperation since both are permanent members of the UN Security Council and shoulder important responsibilities of international affairs," he said.

Hu said he expected to have broad contact and extensive exchanges with French leaders and people from various sectors of the society during his visit. He expressed the hope that, through the visit, the two countries could enhance mutual trust, deepen practical bilateral cooperation and carry out close coordination and cooperation on regional and international affairs so as to further advance the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership.

Later in the day, Hu is expected to have talks with Sarkozy on bilateral ties and major world and regional issues of common concern, Chinese officials said.

"In the face of complicated and profound changes in the international situation, Hu and Sarkozy would discuss how to work together to highlight the strategic nature and the overall importance of the partnership between the two countries," said Kong Quan, Chinese Ambassador to France in an interview with Chinese reporters last Monday.

"The two sides will also explore and decide ways of bilateral cooperation which lays stress on the spirit of the times and creativity," he said.

The ambassador said that the two countries would sign a number of cooperation deals during Hu's visit.

In the past 46 years ago, the bilateral relationship has played a leading role in relations between Western countries and China because of its pioneering nature and strategic significance.

France is an important trading partner in the European Union for China. Two-way trade was registered at $38 billion in 2008.

Although bilateral trade fell to 34.4 billion dollars in 2009 due to the international financial crisis, it has increased significantly since the beginning of this year. In the first nine months, trade volume was recorded at 33 billion dollars.

Hu paid his first state visit to the European nation in January 2004, during which Hu and French leaders agreed on lifting bilateral ties to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership.

Hu met Sarkozy in Beijing in April this year when the French leader was on his second state visit to China. The two leaders had "candid, friendly and productive" talks on deepening the China-French comprehensive strategic partnership, and reached "many important agreements."

"China is satisfied with the overall development of bilateral relations, but we believe that our ties should reflect the change of the times," said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying last week at a press briefing.

She said China hoped, through dialogue between Hu and Sarkozy, the two countries would increase mutual understanding and trust and promote a partnership of equality and mutual respect between the two big powers.

China and France had conducted fruitful cooperation in civilian nuclear energy and aviation, and the two sides were discussing how to broaden cooperation in these fields, the vice minister said.

As France would take over the chair of the Group of Twenty (G20) in mid-November, Fu said, the two leaders would exchange views on the upcoming Seoul summit and the future development of the G20 mechanism.

Hu will also pay a state visit to Portugal following his France trip.