China and France issued on Sunday evening a joint press communique, saying the two countries will join hands in promoting a world which is safer, more united and shows more respect to diversity.

"China and France are willing to undertake joint efforts to promote stable development of Sino-European Union and Asia-Europe relations, and eradicate all obstacles affecting the relations between China and the European Union," the communique says.

Both the countries agreed to enhance high-level political dialogues, promote mutual visit at high-level and especially fulfill the annual meeting between state or government heads, and expand consensus on major global issues in fields of development, poverty alleviation, environment, diseases, crises prevention and handling, anti-proliferation, war on terror and reform on the United Nations.

The communique says China and France will institutionalize the coordination between the two countries' permanent delegations in the U.N. and other international organizations, cooperate in conflict prevention and peacekeeping and propose joint initiatives when possible.

(Xinhua News Agency, October 11, 2004)