China and France on Friday vowed to expand their nuclear power cooperation.

The pledge came out of a meeting between Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan and French presidential special envoy and Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industry Thierry Breton.

Zeng said China's power shortage made the rapid development of nuclear power plants a necessity, and France, which had the most advanced nuclear power technology and equipment, had cooperated well in this field.

Breton said the French government would take practical steps to boost nuclear power cooperation with China.

China first used nuclear power technology from France in its Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, in southern Guangdong Province, and cooperated again with France on Ling'ao Nuclear Power Plant, in the same province.

During French President Jacques Chirac's visit to China in October, the two countries agreed on closer nuclear power cooperation.

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