Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang told former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin Tuesday that efforts should be made to ensure the "healthy" and "stable" development of Sino-French relations.

Li recalled the experiences on the bilateral ties since China and French forged diplomatic relations 45 years ago, noting that sound political relations and trust served the fundamental interests of the two peoples and were vital to boost cooperation.

Li also briefed Raffarin on China's economic situation, adding the measures China adopted to curb the global financial crisis "have been taking some effect."

"We are confident of maintaining China's stable and rapid economic growth and highly value foreign trade cooperation with countries such as France," Li said.

Raffarin, who is in Beijing to attend a Sino-French economic seminar, said expressed his commitment to continuing to promote the bilateral strategic partnership.

China and France issued a press communique on Wednesday, just hours before the presidents Hu Jintao and Nicolas Sarkozy met in London ahead of a Group of 20 summit on the global financial crisis.

The communique said the two sides "attach great importance to China-France relations" and reiterated their adherence to the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

In the communique, France pledged not to support "Tibet independence" in any form.

Relations between China and France deteriorated in December when Sarkozy met with the Dalai Lama in Poland.

(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2009)