Chinese President Hu Jintao met in Beijing on Friday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games and other activities.

After welcoming Sarkozy's attendance to the Olympic opening, President Hu said, "We had good talks last month in Hokkaido Toyako of Japan (during the G8 summit), and I'd like to exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern with you."

Sarkozy said he was "pretty happy" to attend the Olympic opening together with Hu.

China has been one of the important strategic partners of France since the period of General Charles de Gaulle, and France hopes to keep such a relationship with China, Sarkozy said.

Sarkozy said the Olympic facilities have shown the tremendous efforts of China's preparations for the Games.

The French president said he believes China should play a significant role in keeping world peace and stability.

Hu said the Chinese government deeply cherishes Sino-French relations and hopes the two sides can continue to make joint efforts to block out interference, further enhance mutual trust, and push forward the Sino-French comprehensive strategic partnership in a healthy and stable way.

Sarkozy said to develop strategic partnership with China is the consistent principle of France's foreign policy.

"We expect and believe France can play a more positive and constructive role in stabilizing and developing Sino-European relations, and hope the two countries can closely cooperate to host the seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting and the 11th China-EU Summit Meeting," Hu said.

Sarkozy noted that he will attend the seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting which will be held in Beijing this October, and France will make efforts in developing EU-China relations.

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2008)