French PM starts 5-day visit(2)

Hopes are high on both sides to take advantage of the 50th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations in January 2014 to elevate the strategic partnership between Beijing and Paris to a new level. Xi is also expected to make an official visit to France next year.

Despite establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2004, China and France have different understandings and expectations of the relationship, said Jiang Shixue, a researcher on European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"It is essential to make that live up to public expectations by deepening bilateral cooperation and exchanges, particularly in the economic field," he said.

Beside a ministerial official for foreign affairs, Ayrault is also accompanied by four other ministers in charge of industry, energy, tourism and agriculture.

A fast-developing China brings lots of opportunities to the world, and France hopes to grab these to boost its economic development, said Wu Baiyi, also a researcher in European studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

France is politically important for China, Wu said. "It plays a very important role in Europe, and China-France ties can serve as an example for China's relations with other European countries."

The French prime minister will also travel to Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, where French enterprises have valuable business operations.

Agence France-Presse reported on Thursday that Beijing has approved a long-awaited $1.3 billion joint venture, which will be based in Wuhan, between French carmaker Renault and China's Dongfeng, the country's second-biggest car maker.

Ayrault will finish his visit on Saturday after visiting nuclear reactors in Guangdong province to mark the 30th anniversary of Sino-French cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy.

"It is not very often we see such a high-level French leader spend such a long time on an official visit to a foreign country," Picquart said.

"The timing of the visit is good as it is a good opportunity for the prime minister to get to know China better, to take time to understand the country's new reforms and to have direct contact with the leaders and the Chinese people," he said.

France is now China's fourth-largest trade partner in the EU, behind Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bilateral trade increased from $13.4 billion in 2003 to $51 billion in 2012.