Leaders of China and France yesterday shared similar views on major international issues during more than an hour of talks on the sidelines of an informal leaders' meeting between developed and developing countries.
Sources with the French side said President Hu Jintao and his French counterpart Jacques Chirac talked about the current international situation and shared similar views on such issues as the Iraq situation and the Middle East roadmap.
They backed further dialogue between the parties concerned in seeking a peaceful resolution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
The French president was quoted as praising his country's relations with China, while proposing more economic co-operation with China.
Hu on Saturday said during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi that China and Japan should learn from history and have their eyes on the future to develop bilateral relations.
Hu urged both sides to expand common interests and resolve issues between the two properly.
Hu also thanked the Japanese Government for its assistance to China in its fight against SARS.
Koizumi said that he fully recognized the importance of Japan-China relations, adding a fast-growing China was not a threat to Japan and Asia but an opportunity.
It was the first meeting between Hu and Koizumi.
Hu also met separately with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Vajpayee said that he was pleased to see a smooth development of relations between India and China in recent years.
He noted that India is willing to maintain and further positive trends of development.
On long-standing border issues between the two countries, Hu said they should be resolved in a spirit of equal co-operation and mutual understanding.
Vajpayee expressed his hope that a solution could be found through peaceful negotiations that is acceptable to both sides.
President Hu also met Swiss Confederation President Pascal Couchepin in Laussane yesterday.
(China Daily June 2, 2003)
