Ties with France continue to strengthen

China and France will continue to develop bilateral ties, as President Hu Jintao met with French President Francois Hollande on Monday for the first time since the latter took office last month.

Analysts said the already well-developed Sino-French relations have a promising future and are not likely to go through major changes with the new Socialist president in office.

In the one-hour meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Hu said China and France as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and major world economies shoulder important responsibilities under the complex world situation.

Hu called on the two countries to handle their relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, while consolidating cooperation in the nuclear energy and airplane manufacturing sectors, and pushing for a balanced development of bilateral trade.

China is willing to join France in pushing China-France ties, and to promote world peace and prosperity, said Hu.

Hollande, who was elected French president in May, said the two countries share the same stance on many key issues as both of them favor multi-polarization of the world.

The new French government will be unswervingly committed to developing France-China ties, and will strengthen strategic dialogue with China while enlarging cooperation in trade, investment, energy and aviation, according to Hollande.

Sun Yan, an expert on French studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China and France have kept good relations in political and economic areas, which will not likely have major changes with the new president in office.

"As a Socialist, Hollande may have his own opinions different from his predecessors on certain issues. But the general picture of the Sino-French relationship will not change," Sun told China Daily.

Sun noted that the two countries have kept close cooperation in many areas and France has leading technologies.

Sino-French bilateral trade reached $53 billion in 2011, a year-on-year increase of 17 percent.

Contact the writers at wujiao@chinadaily.com.cn and chengguangjin@chinadaily.com.cn