Chinese President Hu Jintao and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday vowed to boost the comprehensive strategic partnership between their countries.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L front) shakes hands with French President Nicolas Sarkozy (R front) in Paris, France, Nov. 4, 2010. Hu Jintao held talks with Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on Thursday. [Li Xueren/Xinhua]

In talks with Sarkozy, Hu said the China-France relationship has been characterized by its strategic and global nature and its ability to move with the times since diplomatic ties were forged 46 years ago.

Political dialogue has increasingly deepened and political mutual trust strengthened, said Hu.

Bilateral trade is expected to exceed 40 billion U.S. dollars this year, and mutual investment has continuously increased, he said.

The two countries have carried out extensive exchanges and cooperation in education, science and technology, and culture, and have kept close communication and coordination on major international issues, he added.

Sarkozy said it was a great honor to receive Hu in his second state visit to France.

Sarkozy congratulated China on the successful holding of the World Expo in Shanghai, saying the expo was another major international event hosted by China after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

France is particularly glad to see China's achievements in its reform and opening-up drive over the past 30 years plus, which is an unprecedented development process in world history, he said.

Hu said China, against the backdrop of deep and complex changes in the international situation, hopes to further enrich the China-France relationship and develop the comprehensive strategic partnership, which is based on mutual trust and mutual benefit, which is mature and stable, and has a global perspective, to play a positive role in the development of equal partnerships between big nations in the new situation.

The Chinese president put forward a four-point proposal on the development of bilateral ties.