The Foreign Ministry held a briefing for Chinese and foreign media on October 28, 2010. Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying introduced the background, main activities and significance of President Hu Jintao's upcoming state visit to France and Portugal and then answered questions of journalists. Director-General of the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry Ma Zhaoxu chaired the briefing at which nearly 100 Chinese and foreign journalists were present.

Fu said that President Hu Jintao, at the invitation of French President Sarkozy and Portuguese President Silva, will pay state visit to France and Portugal from November 4 to 7, 2010.

The international situation is undergoing complicated and profound changes and the world economy as a whole is recovering from a still weak foundation, Fu pointed out. The G20 summit in Seoul is coming soon and all countries have high expectations on the summit. President Hu's visit is a major diplomatic activity conducted by Chinese leaders with the European countries against the above-mentioned background. It will effectively promote China's friendly cooperation with France and Portugal and boost the healthy development of China-EU relations.

I. Visit to France

Fu said that President Hu's visit aims at promoting the long-term stable progress of China-France all-round strategic partnership. From the political perspective, China expects to increase understanding and trust through dialogue and forge partnerships between big powers featured by equality and mutual respect. In the economic field, China and France enjoy strong complementarities with each other and successful trade and economic cooperation. China expects to enhance bilateral trade and project cooperation, deepen convergence of interest and push forward bilateral cooperation in a wider range of areas through the visit. Concerning international affairs, the two countries hold many identical or similar views. China hopes to strengthen understanding of each other's position and reinforce bilateral cooperation at the global level through dialogue. France will hold the next presidency of G20. China is looking forward to coordinating position and stepping up partnership with France.

President Hu, during the visit to France, will hold talks with President Sarkozy and meet with Prime Minister Fillon to share in-depth opinions on the bilateral relations and the international and regional issues of common concern, said Fu. China has the following expectations on the visit. First, the consensus reached and outcomes achieved during the visit, including the two countries' views on world development, international situation, relations between big powers, global governance and reform of international system and ideas about expanding China-France mutually beneficial cooperation and exploring new ways of collaboration, will be reflected in appropriate ways. Second, China expects to exchange opinions with France on how to make positive outcome out of the G20 summit in Seoul and enhance bilateral cooperation under the G20 framework. It also hopes to discuss the development direction of G20 with France. Third, China expects to reach consensus with France on the advance of China-EU all-round strategic partnership and increase China-EU mutual trust and cooperation. Fourth, China expects to sign a number of cooperation documents possibly covering nuclear energy, aviation, new and high-tech, energy efficiency and environmental protection. The most prominent area of China-France trade and economic cooperation currently is in nuclear energy and aviation. The widely innovative cooperation between the two countries over the past 3 decades has effectively enriched the bilateral relations. China remains active to expand such cooperation and is discussing with relevant French authorities. Both China and France are readjusting industrial structure and changing the mode of economic growth, which creates favorable opportunities to broaden bilateral cooperation. The agreements which the two countries are discussing will cover such emerging sectors as new and high-tech, energy efficiency and environmental protection. China will raise new initiatives on broadening trade and investment cooperation. Fifth, China expects to share views with France and put forward new suggestions on reinforcing the bilateral exchanges and cooperation on culture, education and between their youth, including expanding the language teaching and increasing the number of overseas students.

II. Visit to Portugal

President Hu will meet with President Silva and Prime Minister Socrates during the visit, said Fu. President Hu will review with the Portuguese leaders the development of bilateral relations over the past more than 30 years, plan the future development of bilateral ties, promote the bilateral pragmatic cooperation and exchange opinions on the major international and regional issues of common concern. Portugal has distinctive economic and cultural features. The two countries will, based on their needs, do their best to boost cooperation on trade, investment, infrastructure construction and new energy as well as on culture and education. The two sides are discussing the signing of several cooperation documents involving trade, economy and culture.

Fu indicated that China hopes the visit to achieve rich consensus and fruitful results.