Sarkozy visit to focus on 'comprehensive, long term' relations

BEIJING - Beijing and Paris attach great importance to French President Nicolas Sarkozy's three-day state visit to China starting April 28, and talks will focus on developing "long term" and "comprehensive" bilateral ties, the top Chinese diplomat was quoted as saying by China News Service in Paris.

Of the 21 state and government leaders who are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Shanghai Expo on April 30, Sarkozy will be the only one to fly to Beijing and meet with several top Chinese officials, China's Ambassador to France Kong Quan said. "This arrangement shows that both countries think highly and expect much from the visit," the top envoy said.

This will be Sarkozy's fourth visit to the nation since becoming French president in May 2007, the news agency quoted Kong as saying.