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France to boost transport exchange

By Xin Dingding (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-14 09:30

France is expected to expand cooperation with China in the transport sector, including the possibility of a role in the manufacture of jumbo jets, French state secretary in charge of transport, Dominique Bussereau, said on Monday.

Bussereau, who is on a three-day visit, said France does not simply see China as a huge market, but regards it as a good partner in industry.

As China unveiled its jumbo jet manufacturing company on Sunday in Shanghai, Bussereau said France does not consider China as a threat in the manufacture of commercial aircraft.

The market is huge, and the industry has so much potential, that France would like to seek more partners.

"China's large aircraft company is good news, and we would like to cooperate," Bussereau said.

And yesterday he held talks with a vice-minister of railways, and spoke about the cooperation of both countries in transportation.

He said more and more French companies are now involved in China's railway, and ocean-going transportation, and aviation development.

Last year, French-based Alstom signed two contracts valued at 350 million euros with the Ministry of Railways of China, producing 500 electric locomotives, and supplying electrified railway facilities for the Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan high-speed passenger railway project.

French company CMA-CGM, the world's third largest container shipping group, has also been more involved in China, investing $120 million in China Railway Container Transport Corp Ltd. It has also ordered 18 container ships to be built in China.