France's President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomes China's President Hu Jintao at the Elysee Palace in Paris for talks. Hu arrived in the French capital yesterday for a three-day state visit, pledging to work closely with France.

President Hu Jintao yesterday pledged close cooperation with France as it prepares to take over the G20 presidency" target="_blank" title="n.总统的职位(任期)">presidency, at the start of his three-day state visit there.

Hu and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy met in Paris for talks on promoting the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France.

The two leaders were to exchange views on major world and regional issues of common concern, Chinese officials said.

Sarkozy's office said the leaders would discuss "all subjects without taboos."

Hu's second trip to France, accompanied by billions of euros in contracts ranging from Airbus planes to clean coal technology and nuclear deals, comes ahead of a G20 summit in South Korea next week, which will focus on global economic imbalances.

Sarkozy's government, which takes up the G20 baton after the Seoul summit, wants to build common ground for its ambitious agenda of reforming the global monetarysystem, while avoiding alienating China by harping on about the yuan.

"Under the current international situation that is undergoing profound and complicated changes, China and France share broad common interests and huge potential for cooperation," Hu said in a written statement on his arrival.

Support of China

Paris says its G20 agenda of diversifying global currency reserves away from the dollar and stabilizing volatile commodity markets hinges on the support of China.

Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni received Hu and his wife Liu Yongqing with full military honors at Paris' Orly airport. Hu's cavalcade, escorted by a formation of motorcycle outriders and Republican guard on horseback, swept down the historic Champs Elysees en route to Paris' exclusive George V hotel.

"China should not be seen as a risk but an opportunity," Sarkozy said ahead of Hu's arrival. "It's not by reproaching people for things that you make progress ... We're going to sign very important contracts and start very important talks on the eve of France's G20 presidency" target="_blank" title="n.总统的职位(任期)">presidency."

Ahead of a formal state dinner last night, Sarkozy and Hu were due to preside over the signing of billions of euros in corporate investment deals - billed by French officials as the biggest ever such ceremony by China with a European leader.

Today, the two leaders head to the French Riviera city of Nice for more talks and dinner at a cozy Provencal restaurant. The Nice trip was a suggestion from Hu, who has traveled in France but has never been to that part of the country, Sarkozy's office said. On Saturday, Hu flies to Portugal for a state visit.

• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• cooperation [kəu,ɔpə´reiʃən] n.合作；协作 (初中英语单词)
• ambitious [æm´biʃəs] a.有雄心的；热望的 (初中英语单词)
• system [´sistəm] n.系统，体系，制度 (初中英语单词)
• international [,intə´næʃənəl] a.国际的，世界的 (初中英语单词)
• complicated [´kɔmplikeitid] a.结构复杂的；难懂的 (初中英语单词)
• arrival [ə´raivəl] n.到达；到达的人(物) (初中英语单词)
• formal [´fɔ:məl] a.正式的；外表的 (初中英语单词)
• investment [in´vestmənt] n.投资；(时间等)投入 (初中英语单词)
• ceremony [´seriməni] n.典礼；礼仪；客气 (初中英语单词)
• european [juərə´pi:ən] a.欧洲的 n.欧洲人 (初中英语单词)
• restaurant [´restərɔnt] n.饭店，菜馆 (初中英语单词)
• suggestion [sə´dʒestʃən] n.建议，提议；暗示 (初中英语单词)
• presidency [´prezidənsi] n.总统的职位(任期) (高中英语单词)
• comprehensive [,kɔmpri´hensiv] a.综合的；理解的 (高中英语单词)
• partnership [´pɑ:tnəʃip] n.合伙关系 (高中英语单词)
• summit [´sʌmit] n.顶(点)；绝顶 (高中英语单词)
• profound [prə´faund] a.深奥的；渊博的 (高中英语单词)
• potential [pə´tenʃəl] n.&a.潜在的；可能的 (高中英语单词)
• currency [´kʌrənsi] n.通货；通用；货币 (高中英语单词)
• commodity [kə´mɔditi] n.日用品；商品 (高中英语单词)
• formation [fɔ:´meiʃən] n.形成；构成；排列 (高中英语单词)
• horseback [´hɔ:sbæk] n.马背 (高中英语单词)
• historic [his´tɔrik] a.有历史意义的 (高中英语单词)
• exclusive [ik´sklu:siv] a.独有的；集中的 (高中英语单词)
• preside [pri´zaid] vi.主持(会议)；主管 (高中英语单词)
• portugal [´pɔ:tjugəl] n.葡萄牙 (高中英语单词)
• republican [ri´pʌblikən] a.共和国的 n.共和论者 (英语四级单词)
• traveled [´trævəld] a.见面广的；旅客多的 (英语四级单词)
• monetary [´mʌnitəri] a.金融的；货币的 (英语六级单词)