Jia Qinglin, top political advisor, said in Beijing Friday that China values its relations with France and is ready to further bilateral cooperation.

In a meeting with a delegation of French Senate, Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), told French Senate President Christian Poncelet that China hopes to improve exchange and cooperation with France in the fields of energy, aviation, transportation, agriculture, environment protection and high-tech to accelerate the growth of China-France trade and economic cooperation.

Jia hailed the China-France ties, saying that the bilateral ties have grown increasingly close over the past 40 years and the cooperation between the two countries have produced fruitful results.

"Last year, President Hu Jintao and President Jacques Chirac exchanged visits successfully, which further boosted the development of bilateral ties," Jia said.

He also express his appreciation for France's adherence to the one-China policy and its support to China's efforts of realizing national reunification.

Reviewing the exchanges between the CPPCC and the French Senate, Jia said that the CPPCC will take Poncelet's visit to China as an opportunity to improve the friendly exchanges between the two organizations.

Jia also congratulated Poncelet on the success of the French Cultural Year in China, saying that such cultural exchanges have deepened understanding of the two peoples and have significant meaning in promoting world peace and the advancement of civilization.

Poncelet said France and China enjoyed good political, cultural and economic relations. The French Senate hopes to further exchanges with the CPPCC to improve mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries.

He said the Taiwan issue is China's internal affairs and the French government adheres to the one-China policy.

The delegation, at the invitation of the CPPCC, arrived in Beijing Wednesday for a friendly visit.

(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2005)