Hu spoke highly of Chirac's outstanding contribution to the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France.

He hoped Chirac would continue to play an important role in enhancing friendship between the two peoples and expanding exchanges between the two countries.

During the meeting, Hu said that, since the two countries established diplomatic ties 46 years ago, China-France relations had played a leading role in relations between Western countries and China due to the care and strong promotion of several generations of leaders of both countries.

He said the current international situation was undergoing profound and complicated changes. While peace and development constituted the mainstream of the times, the threat of terrorism, climate change and food security had become protruding challenges around the globe and called for a joint response from all countries.

The Chinese president said that China had always adhered to the route of peaceful development and would continue to do so in the future.

He said, after more than three decades of reform and opening up to the outside world, China had made remarkable achievements.

However, Hu said that, with a huge population, a relatively lower level of development and unbalanced growth, China was still facing many challenges and difficulties in its development.

Hu said China still needed to make protracted and untiring efforts before realizing its goals of socioeconomic development. He said China would make even greater contributions to peace and development of the world through its own development.

Chirac said he had always admired the long-standing history of China, noting that China was a nation with a huge population, ancient culture and long-standing civilization. Chirac said a China that was developing through peaceful means had great influence and should play a bigger role in the current world.

Chirac said China had a peaceful culture and peace-loving people. Guided by the idea of promoting peace, China had actively participated in international cooperation and the process of solving global issues.

He added that China's development was peaceful and was conducive to world peace.

After the meetings, the Chinese president flew from Paris to Nice in southern France to continue his three-day visit to France.