China and France reached a three-billion-euro (US$3.9 billion)
deal Thursday morning during French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre
Raffarin's three-day official visit to Beijing.
Raffarin and Premier Wen
Jiabao witnessed the signing ceremony of the 20 cooperative
agreements dealing with aviation, nuclear energy and
agriculture.
The deals include China's promise to purchase five Airbus A380
and 25 A320 planes and a 100-million-euro (US$130.3 million) deal
to buy a powerful communications and live radio and TV broadcast
satellite from Alcatel Space.
Prior to the signing ceremony, Wen and Raffarin agreed during an
hour-long meeting to further political and economic ties.
"China appreciates France's understanding and support to China
on the Taiwan issue and the EU's lifting of the arms embargo," Wen
told his counterpart.
Wen suggested the two countries further their relationship by
focusing on maintaining high-level visits and improving
consultation and cooperation in the United Nations and other
international organizations; expanding economic and trade in the
energy, transportation, aviation, agriculture and environmental
protection sectors; maintaining cultural exchanges and improving
judicial cooperation.
China and France are both permanent members of the UN Security
Council.
Raffarin noted that the leaders of France and China now are now
in continuous and regular contact. Such contacts were sporadic in
the past.
President Hu Jintao and French President Jacques Chirac
exchanged visits in 2004 and Wen is scheduled to visit France later
this year.
Raffarin said that France is very optimistic about bilateral
economic and trade relations and ready to expand cooperation with
China in trade, energy, medium-size and small enterprises, culture
and education.
Raffarin arrived in the Chinese capital Thursday morning. He
also met Vice President Zeng Qinghong on Thursday.
During his China tour, Raffarin will also visit Shenyang, the
capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, where he is
scheduled to attend a symposium on economic and trade cooperation
between the three northeast provinces and France.
Also on his itinerary is China's economic hub of Shanghai, where
he will deliver three speeches to local business leaders and
college students and attend an illumination ceremony at the city's
landmark Oriental Pearl TV Tower.
As part of the ongoing celebrations for the Year of France in
China, the tower will be illuminated in blue, white and red, the
colors of the French national flag.
Raffarin is scheduled to leave China on Saturday. He last
visited in 2003.
(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2005)
