Jiang made the remark in Beijing Thursday at a meeting with visiting French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin who arrived in Beijing earlier Thursday for a two-day visit to China at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Tang Jiaxuan.

Jiang said that Iraq was generally cooperative after the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1441, and at present weapons inspection in Iraq should be continued to clarify the issue and the work of UN inspectors should be supported.

On the Korean nuclear issue, Jiang said China supported the non-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, upholding its peace and stability, and advocated a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue.

De Villepin said the French side held great store by France-China relations and it was more imperative for the two countries to strengthen consultation and coordination when the current international situation was undergoing drastic changes.

Jiang also spoke positively of Sino-French relations and of the talks between the two foreign ministers held earlier Thursday.

He said bilateral contacts and exchanges in recent years had become much closer with frequent exchanges of visits at various levels.

Meanwhile, bilateral trade was on the rise and China had received many French businesses, said Jiang, adding that there were broad prospects for bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

He also pointed to bilateral cooperation in culture, education and science. He cited the establishment of a Chinese cultural center in Paris last year, the cultural year activities to be held in both countries, and the signing of their first agreement on educational cooperation and the document on setting up a bilateral scientific and technological center in China.

He said China was pleased with the continuing overall progress in Sino-French relations.

De Villepin conveyed French President Jacques Chirac's greetings to Jiang and Chirac's congratulations on the success of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

He said Chirac believed the congress was of great significance for China's future development.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2003)