Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao Wednesday called for more business cooperation between China and France.

Hu had a discussion with French business leaders, which was attended by Francois Loos, French minister delegate in charge of foreign trade in the Ministry of the Economy, Finances and Industry, and Honorary President Francois Perigot of the Movement of the French Enterprises (MEDEF).

Both Loos and Perigot expressed their belief that the discussion manifests the great attention paid by the Chinese government to developing French-Chinese trade and economic cooperation.

The French government supports enterprises in cooperating with China in various forms, increasing technology transfer to China and more actively participating China's modernization process, according to the French participants.

Hu gave an introduction about China's economic development and goals of upcoming reforms, stressing that his country's growth provides great business opportunities for Sino-French cooperation.

The Chinese president listed several areas for priority cooperation. He urged French enterprises, which enjoy advantages in energy, transport and communication, to increase direct or indirect investment in China's infrastructure.

He said the two countries should develop more projects with advanced technology as China is speeding up its high-tech development and French enterprises command advanced technologies and products.

The Chinese president also called for more substantial cooperation in improving the quality of farm products and environment protection technology.

When answering questions about the role of multinationals in China's enterprises reorganization, Hu said multinationals with advanced technology can play an active role in China's industrial restructuring.

Talking about China's automobile industry, Hu said that the Chinese government is formulating new policies on the industry to accommodate the needs emerging under new circumstances.

The basic thinking behind the new policies is to fulfill China's WTO commitments and create conditions conducive to the multinationals to participate in China's automobile industry development, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency January 29, 2004)