China and France both support convening a summit of the Group of
Twenty nations, according to their joint press communique issued in
Beijing Sunday.
The communique, issued when French President Jacques Chirac is
paying a state visit to China, says that the two countries will
jointly research issues including global economic governance,
especially prior to the summit of the Group of Eight industrialized
nations (G-8), sustainable development and dialogues with
developing countries.
The two countries agreed to enhance high-level political
dialogues, promote an exchange of mutual visits at high levels and
expand consensus on important global issues in fields of
development, poverty alleviation, environment, diseases, crises
prevention and handling, anti-proliferation, war on terror and
reform of the United Nations.
The communique says China and France will institutionalize the
coordination between the two countries' permanent delegations in
the United Nations and other international organizations, cooperate
in conflict prevention and peacekeeping and propose joint
initiatives whenever possible.
President Chirac's visit will further deepen the "bilateral
all-round strategic partnership," and enhance economic, industrial
and technological relations so as to make them reach "levels
commensurate with good political relations," the communique
says.
The two countries will continue to implement the joint statement
on all-round strategic partnership in January 2004, and both
countries value multilateralism and the aim and principles of the
UN Charter, it says.
The French side notices China's adherence to the five principles
of peaceful coexistence, it says.
(Xinhua News Agency October 11, 2004)