Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday China and France should together promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral ties.

Li made the remarks while meeting with former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and General Secretary of the Union for a Popular Movement (UPM) Jean-Francois Cope in Beijing.

Li spoke highly of Raffarin's long-term contribution to Sino-French ties. He congratulated Cope on becoming General Secretary of the UPM.

Referring to the important consensus reached by the two countries' leaders during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to France in early November, Li said the China-France relations are developing well.

He suggested the two nations further enhance communication and coordination on major international and regional issues while deepening pragmatic cooperation in all areas.

Li said the Communist Party of China (CPC) attaches importance to developing friendly cooperative relations with the UPM.

The CPC hopes to enhance mutual understanding and trust with the UPM so as to make a positive contribution to bilateral ties and China-Europe ties, he added.

Raffarin said China is playing an increasingly important global role.

He said he hopes to continue to deepen friendship between the two peoples.

Cope said the UPM hopes to strengthen party-to-party exchange and boost bilateral cooperation and communication with the CPC.

Founded in 2002 by Jacques Chirac, the UPM currently enjoys an absolute majority in the National Assembly and a plurality in the Senate of France.

Its leader, Nicolas Sarkozy, was elected President of France in 2007.