On August 8, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao met at the Great Hall of the People with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is here to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.

During the meeting, Hu welcomed Sarkozy's attendance to the Olympic opening both as the French president and the rotating president of the Council of the European Union. Hu said President Sarkozy shows with his practical move his position of supporting the Beijing Olympic Games, which is conducive to building the friendship between the two peoples and is also helpful for the further improvement of bilateral ties. the Chinese president made positive comments on this.

Sarkozy said the Olympic facilities have shown the tremendous efforts of China's preparations for the Games. Sarkozy said he was "pretty happy" to attend the Olympic opening together with Hu. "Today is a proud day for China and is also of great significance to China-France relations," he said.

Hu emphasized that with the international situation being complex and changeable, to maintain and develop sound China-France relations is not only in the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples and is also conducive to world peace, stability and prosperity. Hu said the Chinese government deeply cherishes Sino-French relations and always looks at and handles bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective, pledging that China will continue adhering to the policy of China-France friendship, comprehensive cooperation and common development. Hu hoped the two sides can continue to make joint efforts to block out interference, further enhance mutual trust, and push forward the Sino-French comprehensive strategic partnership in a healthy and stable way.

China has been one of the important strategic partners of France since the period of General Charles de Gaulle, and France hopes to keep such a relationship with China, Sarkozy said. China has made admirable achievements in politics, economy and other areas. The French president said he believes China should play a significant role in keeping world peace and stability and many international and regional issues can't be resolved without China. Sarkozy said to develop strategic partnership with China is the consistent principle of France's foreign policy and such a policy will not change.

Hu pointed out that this year is very significant to China-EU relations. "We expect and believe France can play a more positive and constructive role in stabilizing and developing Sino-European relations, and hope the two countries can closely cooperate to make the seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting a meeting of cooperation for progress and orientation towards the future to consolidate Asia-Europe partnership, " said Hu. He urged both sides to well hold the 11th China-EU Summit Meeting to enrich the strategic connotations of China-EU relations and deepen pragmatic cooperation in all areas so as to push China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

Sarkozy noted that he will attend the seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting which will be held in Beijing this October, and France will make efforts in developing EU-China relations.

Ling Jihua, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee (CPCCC) and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Huning, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee (CPCCC) and Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, and State Councilor Dai Bingguo attended the meeting.