Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with visiting French Senate President Christian Poncelet in Beijing, April 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- President Hu Jintao said here Thursday that China has always valued the Sino-French relationship and is regretful to see events that hurt Chinese feelings.

    China sticks to the policy of Sino-French friendship, all-round cooperation and common development, Hu told visiting French Senate President Christian Poncelet in a meeting.

    A series of events that were unfriendly to Chinese occurred in France recently, especially the disruption of the Beijing Olympic torch relay in Paris. Such events hurt the Chinese people's feelings, Hu said.

    "These are what we do not want to see," he told Poncelet.

    Hu stressed China hopes the French side could face squarely the current problems and work with the Chinese side to eliminate disturbance and properly handle the new situation and new problems of the bilateral ties.

    He called for both sides to make joint efforts to push forward the healthy and stable development of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

    Poncelet said he felt sad and regretful for the disturbance of the Beijing Olympic torch relay in Paris, and expressed again the sincere sympathy of his government to the disabled Chinese torch bearer Jin Jing, who was attacked during the torch relay in Paris.

    He said the French side fully understood and respected Chinese people's feelings, opposed the linking of sports with politics, and gave his best wishes and support to the Beijing Olympics.

    Poncelet is paying his third China trip as French Senate President from April 21 to 27 at the invitation of top legislator Wu Bangguo.

    He made a special visit to Jin Jing upon his arrival in Shanghai on Monday, conveying French President Nicolas Sarkozy's sympathy note to the female wheelchair-bound fencer.

    Speaking highly of the important contribution Poncelet had made to the Sino-French relationship, Hu said bilateral ties have developed in a comprehensive way since the two first forged diplomatic ties 44 years ago.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with visiting French Senate President Christian Poncelet (L) in Beijing, April 24, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The two sides have kept frequent exchanges on various levels, with economic and trade cooperation expanding, Hu said, hailing both had maintained close consultation on international and regional issues.

    China appreciates France's adherence to the one-China policy on Taiwan and Tibet issues, Hu said.

    Poncelet said history has proved French people nourish deep and special feelings toward Chinese people and the French government cherishes the strategic ties with China.

    It is the common aspiration of the French government, parliament and people to enhance relations with China, Poncelet told Hu, adding the stance has never changed.

    Poncelet said all the previous and current French governments respected China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, holding that Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China, and the affairs of Taiwan and Tibet belong to China's internal affairs.

    Also on Thursday, Poncelet met with Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

    Besides Poncelet, former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a four-day visit.

    Another senior French official, Jean-David Levitte, a diplomatic adviser of Sarkozy, will visit China from April 26 to 27 to hold an unofficial consultation about the Sino-French strategic dialogue with Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo.

French Senate president willing to increase dialogue with China to improve relations

    BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- French Senate President Christian Poncelet said his country was willing to increase dialogue with China to improve the relationship between the two countries when meeting with local reporters here on Thursday.

    Heading a delegation of the French Senate, Poncelet was paying his third trip to China as the legislative leader from April 21-27at the invitation of top legislator Wu Bangguo.   Full story

China urges France to reflect upon Chinese public's opinions and sentiments

    BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday urged the French side to consider and reflect upon opinions and sentiments of expressed by some Chinese people on the internet, noting there must reasons for them.

    "Some Chinese people have expressed their opinions and feelings recently. All these are by no means accidental, and the French side need to ponder and reflect upon them," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a press conference. Full story

FM calls for joint efforts of China, France to promote bilateral ties

    BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Tuesday called for joint efforts by China and France to push for the stable and healthy growth of bilateral relations.

   Spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a press conference that to cement and advance the Sino-French relations accords with the fundamental interests of the two nations and the two peoples, and the two sides should continue considering bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term point of view. Full story

French Senate President conveys Sarkozy's sympathy note to Chinese torch bearer

French Senate President Christian Poncelet (front L) hands over President Nicolas Sarkozy's sympathy note to Chinese torchbearer Jin Jing (R) in Shanghai, east China, April 21, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    SHANGHAI, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Visiting French Senate President Christian Poncelet made a special trip to meet with Chinese torchbearer Jin Jing upon his arrival in Shanghai Monday morning.

    Poncelet also conveyed President Nicolas Sarkozy's sympathy note to Jin Jing, a wheelchair-bound fencer who was attacked during the Olympics torch relay in Paris. Full story

Carrefour store in NE Chinese city resumes after two days of demonstration

    DALIAN, April 21 (Xinhua) -- A Carrefour shop in Dalian in northeastern China's Liaoning Province resumed operation on Monday after two days of demonstrations against "Tibet independence."

    No one was in front of the hypermarket outlet on Huanghe Road on Monday, except for customers and passers-by in the rain, said Xinhua reporters at the scene. Full story

Carrefour chairman: Carrefour supports Beijing Olympics

    PARIS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The chairman of French supermarket chain Carrefour said Tuesday that calls for boycott of Beijing Olympics were acts with ulterior motives, and Carrefour would make its utmost efforts to support the Olympics.

    In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Carrefour Chairman Jose Luis Duran also denied reports that his company supported Tibetan separatists. Full story