Former French PM in China sends signals to mend ties

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-10 23:56

BEIJING -- A former French Prime Minister has sent signals to mend bilateral ties several times during his ongoing visit to China.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin in Beijing, capital of China, February 10, 2009. [Xinhua]

"France values relations with China and does not intend to infringe upon China's major core concerns," former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

"France sticks to the one-China policy, respects and supports China's sovereignty, reunification and territorial integrity," he noted.

Bilateral relations hit a low after French President Nicolas Sarkozy held a private meeting with the Dalai Lama last year in Poland. China postponed the 11th China-EU Summit and lodged a strong protest against the meeting, saying it "severely undermined China's core interests."

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets with former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin in Beijing, capital of China, February 10, 2009. [Xinhua]

The issues concerning Tibet were China's internal affairs, Raffarin said when meeting with Premier Wen, noting that France had fully recognized the sensitivity and serious consequences of related issues.

France attached great importance to China's positions and would take practical action to restore political mutual trust and promote the improvement and growth of bilateral relations, he said.

As to current difficulties in Sino-French ties, Premier Wen Jiabao said the blame did not lie with China. He urged France to actively and positively respond to China's major core concerns.

"We will not change the basic principles of adherence to mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits and non-interference in each other's internal affairs," Wen said, noting that the policy of promoting friendly bilateral relations and the determination to advance Sino-EU cooperation will not change.

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The establishment of Sino-French diplomatic ties benefited the two peoples and also brought great influence for the world political situation, he said.

Raffarin and his delegation were here on a visit to China from February 8 to February 14 at the invitation of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs. They attended activities marking the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

France hopes to ease tensions in Sino-French ties, Raffarin told a symposium on Monday, saying that "we should realize how serious is the cancellation of the 11th EU-China Summit concerning the current financial crisis."

"Premier Wen's European visit didn't include France, and the French government has paid great attention to China's signals," he said, noting that France fully understands China's concern over stability and reunification and will try to figure out the significance of China's signals.

"France respects China's policy...President Sarkozy has realized the severeness of the problem, and is willing to improve the relations with China," said Raffarin in a joint interview.

Raffarin has visited China many times. His last visit was paid during the Beijing Olympic Games accompanying Sarkozy.

"Under the current circumstance, we believe Raffarin's visit will be conducive to promoting mutual understanding", Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a routine press conference.

France should make "effective" and "positive" measures to collaborate with China to get bilateral relations back on track at an early date, Jiang said.

According to analysts, France is still facing doubts and difficulties although it has expressed willingness to repair relations.

The harsh "domestic situation" in France, namely the high rate of unemployment, low economic growth and complicated international environment, are responsible for French leaders' "wrong political decisions," Xing Hua, a research fellow with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told Xinhua.

"Some state leaders in Europe blamed newly emerging economies like China for their own financial difficulties, which influenced their political decisions," he said.

Taking a realistic attitude might be a better way to deal with China-France relations, expert suggested. Actions by France could hinder further cooperation; therefore, France should make a positive response to China's concerns, which would be helpful to enhance mutual trust and more effective collaboration, according to analysts.