French President-elect Francois Hollande on Monday vowed to further Sino-French exchange and cooperation in a meeting with Kong Quan, the Chinese Ambassador to France.
Talking to Kong in Paris before meeting other ambassadors, Hollande said that France recognizes China’s important influence over international politics and the economy and would like to see continuous development in a friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries.
Hollande said that France and China should continue to strengthen coordination and collaboration within the G20 and work together on international and regional hot issues.
Meanwhile, France wishes to push forward economic and trade cooperation and expand mutual investment, Hollande said.
The president-elect received a congratulatory message from Chinese President Hu Jintao and asked the ambassador to pass on his gratitude and respect to Hu.
The long-time friendship and cooperation between China and France conforms with the fundamental interests of the two countries and their citizens and also is significant in safeguarding and promoting global peace, stability and development, Hu said in his congratulatory message.
The Socialist, who beat the incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday’s second round runoff with 51.6 percent of the votes, will become the second left-wing president of the French Fifth Republic.
After failing in his bid for re-election, Sarkozy looks set to leave political life behind him after reportedly telling his aides on Monday that “a page has turned”, France 24 reported.
Sarkozy said he would not campaign in the legislative elections to be held in two rounds on June 10 and 17, preferring to take a break with his family. He is due to due to leave office on May 15.
Meanwhile, he urged his divided conservative UMP party on Monday to pull together quickly after his election defeat to fight off a double challenge from the left and far-right in parliamentary polls next month.
Sarkozy, the first French president for 31 years to be rejected after just one term, told senior UMP members to “play hard” and he would “still be around” and that they could “count on him”.
Xinhua and Reuters contributed to this story.
zhaoshengnan@chinadaily.com.cn
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