Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Friday told visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy he hoped the two nations deepen mutual understanding and trust.

"This will offer a solid political guarantee for the growth of China-France ties," Wen said, applauding Sarkozy's reiteration on respecting China's core interests and major concerns.

Wen also said that China attached great importance to the ties with France, and valued the traditional friendship between the two peoples.

"A stable and cooperative China-France relationship accords with fundamental interests of both sides, and can make more contributions to the world," the Chinese premier said.

The two nations enjoyed strong complementarity and potential prospects in such areas as economy, trade, science, technology, energy, environmental protection, and cooperation between small and medium-sized businesses, Wen said.

The premier said China and France also shared important agreement in realizing the balanced and sustainable growth of the world economy.

China would work with France to safeguard and promote common interests from a strategic height and long-term perspective, and increase coordination and cooperation, in an effort to push forward economic growth and establish international political and economic new order, said the premier.

Sarkozy expressed appreciation for China's active measures to cope with international financial crisis, saying France was pleased to see China's economic growth.

France was ready to expand cooperation with China in such areas as investment, nuclear power and environmental protection, he said.

France will host the G20 summit next year. Sarkozy said his country would increase communication and cooperation with China in promoting global governance, reforming international financial system, stabilizing global raw material prices and tackling climate change.

He hoped to work with China to push forward recovery and growth of world economy.

Sarkozy told Wen that his country, as a sincere friend of China, firmly adhered to the one-China policy, and recognized that Taiwan and Tibet are both part of China.

"China is an important strategic partner of France," Sarkozy said.

The two also exchanged views on the international negotiations to cope with climate change.

As a guest of President Hu Jintao, Sarkozy is paying a state visit to China from April 28 to 30. He began the visit in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. He will also attend the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo Friday.