China's top legislator Li Peng said that China has always attached importance to its relations with France, and that he hoped the bilateral cooperation in various fields such as politics, economy and culture can develop healthily and smoothly.

This is in the interests of the two countries and their peoples, and conducive to world peace and development, said Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), in Beijing Monday afternoon when he met with a delegation from the Social and Economic Council (SEC) of France led by its president Jacques Dermagne.

Talking about the Sino-French seminar on state assets management and agriculture sponsored by the NPC Financial and Economic Committee (FEC) and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (ARAC), and the SEC, Li said it is of positive significance for the two sides to exchange experiences and learn from each other.

Referring to the seventh seminar scheduled for October this year in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Li expressed his hope that both sides can make joint efforts to make it a success.

Li also briefed the visitors on China's state-owned enterprises and agricultural development.

Dermagne, who was in China for the first time, said that the SEC, the National Assembly and the Senate of France pay great attention to the development of political and economic relations with China, and highly evaluate China's progress.

He said that this visit is aimed at making preparations for the seminar, and the French side agrees to make the development of China's western areas one of the seminar's topics.

France attaches importance to the management of state-owned enterprises, especially those providing public services, such as communications, transport and telecommunications, said Dermagne.

The French side will conduct exchanges with China in these fields, he said, adding that he will encourage more delegations to attend the seminar.

(Xinhua 06/04/2001)